OPINION
Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl ahead of Liverpool facing the Saints on Friday.
The German manager dubbed the job the Austrian boss was doing at St Mary’s incredible and pointed out that under his guidance the Saints were eighth in the form table.
Klopp also highlighted that due to Hasenhuttl’s influence the Saints’ didn’t look like a team fighting to stay in the league, implying they looked too good to be in danger of relegation.
Klopp: "Hasenhuttl doing an incredible job. Since he's been at Southampton they are 8th in the form table. The analysis was very interesting – they don't look like a team fighting to stay in the league."
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) April 3, 2019
“Hasenhuttl doing an incredible job. Since he’s been at Southampton they are 8th in the form table. The analysis was very interesting – they don’t look like a team fighting to stay in the league,” said Klopp, as transcribed by the Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce on his personal Twitter account.
Given Klopp’s high praise for the Southampton man and him pointing out that as a result the Saints are better than their current league position, 16th, suggests they are, surely his remarks will leave many Liverpool fans sweating buckets about Friday’s clash.
Reds fans know that their side must keep heaping the pressure on Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title, as if Man City win their game in hand they will once again move ahead of Klopp’s side with one more point then them.
This means Liverpool have to take maximum points from Friday’s clash as only earning a draw, or even suffering a loss, will give Man City an opportunity to create a more comfortable gap at the top.
When you consider that the Reds didn’t look at their best against Tottenham on Sunday, and had to rely on a last-gasp winner to seal the win, surely supporters will be worried that Southampton can derail the club’s title bid especially with a talented manager like Hasenhuttl holding the reigns.
