Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp shrugs off Jose Mourinho's silverware comments

Mourinho believes Liverpool's spending has put Klopp under pressure to deliver his first trophy this season

Mark Critchley
Friday 27 July 2018 21:39 BST
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Jürgen Klopp has shrugged off Jose Mourinho's claim that Liverpool must win silverware this season to justify their summer of spending.

Klopp has overseen a £175m outlay on new signings at Anfield this summer, with Alisson, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri all arriving on Merseyside.

Mourinho admitted to being impressed with Liverpool's business ahead of the two clubs meeting in the International Champions Cup in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday.

The Manchester United manager also, however, warned Klopp that Liverpool's spending has only put pressure on him to deliver his first trophy this season.

“What can I say about that? Jose can say what he wants to say to be honest,” Klopp said in response on Friday.

“I’m not too much interested in Manchester United. I’m pretty sure they will do business as well in the next few days, but we know about our responsibility.

“We feel responsible only for our fans, for our owners, for the supporters all over the world, nobody else. That’s the situation.

“We are ambitious, we never said anything different. We have to deliver - what that means exactly, I don’t know in this moment.

“But a big part of the job is to play football that our people like. That happened last year, probably the year before as well, and now we are in the situation where we want to make the next step.

"The opponents don’t sleep. We know that. It means our life is not easier because we brought a few players in. We only feel a bit better prepared than last year. That’s all.”

Keita, one of Klopp's four new arrivals, will not be available at the Michigan Stadium on Friday as he continues to recover from a stiff neck.

“It's only a stiff neck but eight hours on that plane with the air conditioning, not comfortable enough for him. He won't train," Klopp said.

“We have another session on Saturday morning so we will see what happens over night. It's not serious.”

Loris Karius, Liverpool's under-fire goalkeeper, and Georginio Wijnaldum are also not expected to feature against United after suffering minor injury problems.

Nathaniel Clyne will be absent having flown home to be with his partner after the birth of their son.

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