Sam Allardyce had Liverpool's number before and Jurgen Klopp is wary of it happening again despite fine form

Allardyce got the better of the two while at Crystal Palace last season

Allardyce exploited Liverpool's zonal marking (Getty)

Sam Allardyce swaggered into the auditorium rattling the keys in his pocket, missing the cowboy boots, but speaking like the new sheriff in town. That was last season at Anfield when, having beaten Liverpool, he was in a self-congratulatory mood – claiming to have outmanoeuvred Jürgen Klopp tactically.

It had been Allardyce’s intention to get Liverpool’s central defenders, lacking in pace apparently, isolated and then running towards their own goal. It had also been Allardyce’s intention to capitalise from set-pieces, positioning his attackers in the space where Liverpool’s zonal markers do not go. It had been 1-0 to Liverpool when Christian Benteke struck an equaliser following a move which involved elements of the first instruction. Benteke then made it 2-1 from a corner.

Allardyce was giving himself a big old pat on the back. Klopp, though, maintains he was not listening – and nor will he to whatever new claims are made before they meet again on Sunday’s Merseyside derby now that Allardyce is Everton’s manager.

“There’s nothing I can say here,” Klopp responded on Friday having been asked whether Allardyce will meet a sturdier Liverpool defence this time. “I don’t believe that I can win a game in the press conference or that I should say things like this after a game. I think the main job is for the players to do their thing on the pitch. Whatever plan I have says nothing, it’s just words.”

Klopp admits he is impulsive and that had he heard about Allardyce’s comments last April, he would have “felt completely differently.” He must recognise that Allardyce was then nearly four months into the Palace job then and that at Everton, he’s only been in charge for two weeks. There has been less preparation for his methods to be rehearsed but whatever scheme he has planned, it will probably have to be better than last time. Liverpool won 7-0 midweek against Spartak Moscow and have only conceded two goals at home in league games all season.

Perhaps the greatest threat to Liverpool, indeed, is their own complacency. Klopp seems aware that despite Everton’s disappointing season, they still pose threats, however.

“So far, we have protected our goal much better so it’s not that easy for other teams to create chances,” he said. “But even Brighton had them: cross from Izzy Brown, [Glenn] Murray around – it can always happen; lots of long balls to [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin, stuff like this. They [Everton] have good shooters with [Gylfi] Sigurdsson and [Wayne] Rooney and then quick wingers in [Aaron] Lennon and whoever else.

“We know what they will do and it’s still difficult to defend. You are not allowed to make a lot of fouls because Sigurdsson has the free-kicks. That’s a clear plan but we have to fulfill our plan as well because we will have the ball a few times and we have to make their life as difficult as possible.”

Klopp will be without Alberto Moreno, who will have a second assessment over an ankle ligament injury sustained against Spartak before it can be revealed when he will return. Klopp confirmed, though, that captain Jordan Henderson will feature in Liverpool’s starting line-up having been left out against the Russians on Wednesday. Klopp believes there are unique expectations on Henderson. “Being skipper of Liverpool is the hardest job in world football because the man before him was Steven Gerrard,” he said.