Liverpool vs Man City: Jurgen Klopp hails Erling Haaland as ‘the best striker in the world’

Liverpool defenders have been warned not to fall into the trap of focusing purely on Erling Haaland as they hunt for the win that could transform their season.

Jurgen Klopp’s admiration for Haaland is so great that he described him on Friday as ‘the best striker in the world’.

The Norwegian has taken the steps Klopp expected when he first encountered him in a Champions League match in October 2019.

Jurgen Klopp (right) thinks Man City’s Erling Haaland (left) is ‘the best striker in the world’

Haaland, then at Red Bull Salzburg, had been ill during the build-up, but scored Salzburg’s third goal four minutes after coming on at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-3 but Klopp knew he had seen ‘a great player’ and a ‘appropriate threat’.

There is no greater threat in his current form, but Klopp knows it would be a huge mistake for Liverpool to fail to try and contain the rest of City’s mercurial talents.

“As always when you play against the best striker in the world, you have to make sure he doesn’t get too many balls,” said the German manager.

“That’s what you have to defend before taking on the challenge with himself, so we’ll try to do that.

Haaland’s scored 15 goals in nine league games, including three consecutive hat-tricks from Etihad

He also scored a hat-trick in a thumping 6-3 win over City’s rivals Manchester United

“But against City, the problem is that if you close Haaland with too many players, you open up holes for all the other world-class players, so that doesn’t make life any easier.

“It’s a football problem, but we will try to find solutions.”

Speaking of Haaland’s impact at City, Klopp added: “Physically he is setting new standards, combining real physical and technicality with sensational awareness. His orientation on the field is exceptional.

Haaland had a rare bad day when he played against Liverpool in City’s Community Shield defeat

“He always knows where the decisive holes are, he is almost never offside and reads that very well.

“There are so many things that make him a striker. He has some of the best players in the world around at City who set goals and find the right moments for passes.

“Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, they’re all really good at that, so it’s a perfect fit for him.

“For Erling, he combines so many things. It’s rare for you to have his finishing skills, but he also moves very cleverly. The package makes it special.’