Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged both Reds and Manchester United supporters to avoid tragedy chanting this weekend, as the pair meet at Old Trafford.
The Merseysiders face one of their biggest games of the season on Sunday afternoon, heading down the M62 for a massive Premier League clash.
Liverpool are guaranteed to still be top of the table if they win away to their rivals, but last month’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat acts as a warning, with Erik ten Hag’s side capable of beating anyone on their day.
Speaking ahead of the game on Friday, Klopp told fans of both clubs not to chant about the likes of Hillsborough and Munich, with the respective tragedies among the most devastating moments in football history:
“I think it is super important. There are different aspects but one aspect is that I don’t hear it, honestly, when I am on the sideline but I get told it happens and that is obviously not great.
“But in general it is just helpful that we educate our kids in specific things: respect, understanding, all these kinds of things. I just see it that way that two of the biggest clubs in the world, let’s just show a bit of class in these moments.
“So don’t sing this or that, just show class, have a fight on the pitch, let’s just play football, if you want be happy, if you lose, whatever but besides all of that just show a bit of class, that would be my wish really for all of us.”
Our thoughts on Klopp’s comments…
This is a typically classy touch from Klopp, not showing any bias towards Liverpool and trying to make sure everybody at Old Trafford behaves on Sunday.
Tribal chanting is one thing, and helps create a special atmosphere in English football’s biggest fixture, but songs about the deaths of supporters or players is disgraceful.
The hope is that Liverpool and United supporters listen to Klopp’s advice this weekend – frankly, anybody guilty of singing about tragedies should instantly suffer a lifetime ban from attending matches. That may be the only way to truly stamp it out.
