- Both Jurgen Klopp and Erik ten Hag asked fans to refrain from singing tragedies
- Eight fans were arrested after Man United’s win over Liverpool last month
- Why this is the end for Erik ten Hag at Man United – Listen to the It all starts podcast
Jurgen Klopp and Erik ten Hag have called on supporters of both Liverpool and Manchester United to refrain from tragedies ahead of Sunday’s match between the two clubs.
Greater Manchester Police made eight arrests in the aftermath of United’s 4-3 FA Cup victory last month, with many at home singing about Hillsborough and Heysel. A Liverpool fan was also filmed making airplane gestures in connection with the Munich air disaster.
But Klopp has now asked fans of both clubs to enjoy the match without any tragic chanting, which was recently a breach of public order. “I just see it this way, that two of the biggest clubs in the world, let’s just show a little class in these moments,” the German said.
‘So don’t sing this or that, just show class, fight on the field, let’s just play football, if you want to be happy, if you lose, whatever, but besides that just show a little class, that would actually be my wish for us all.’
Both clubs have come together in recent weeks to educate young children about the issue, with former players Wes Brown and Phil Thompson attending an event in Huyton bringing together schoolchildren from Manchester and Liverpool.
Erik ten Hag and Jurgen Klopp have each called for an end to the tragedy ahead of Sunday’s match between Man United and Liverpool
The FA Cup tie between the two sides last month was marred by offensive chants, with eight fans arrested in the aftermath
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“It’s super important, there are different aspects, but one aspect is that, to be honest, I don’t hear it when I’m on the sidelines,” Klopp added. ‘But I’m told it’s happening and that’s obviously not great.
“But overall, it just helps that we teach our kids specific things: respect, understanding, all these kinds of things.”
Last month, United and Liverpool’s foundations teamed up to launch an education program in partnership with the Premier League aimed at eradicating the problem for good, and Ten Hag made his own plea ahead of Sunday’s match.
“The atmosphere our fans generated was incredible that afternoon and if we can produce the same noise levels around Old Trafford then we have already seen what a positive force it can be and the impact it has on the players,” said the United boss . .
‘As such, it is part of my duty to remind every supporter fortunate enough to be at the match that it should be enjoyed properly, and not used as an excuse to insult rival fans about Hillsborough, Heysel or other historical tragedies. .
Former Man United defender Wes Brown (left) and ex-Liverpool captain Phil Thompson (right) spoke about the impact of the Hillsborough and Munich disasters in a recent initiative
‘This is one of the truly great rivalries in world sport, for so many good reasons, and it is our responsibility to keep it that way. Whether the clubs meet at Old Trafford or Anfield, all supporters must be fully focused on supporting their team and both Jurgen and I are confident we can count on that to happen.”
Liverpool are hoping to have midfielder Wataru Endo back in the squad when they travel to Old Trafford for the second time in a month. The Reds also gave run-outs to returning players Curtis Jones and Andy Robertson in Thursday’s win over Sheffield United.
Klopp added that he will not miss playing at Old Trafford. ‘Am I going to miss these matches? No, I’ve had them enough times,” he said. ‘What a manager I would be if I said I would miss United or City games and not all the others! No.
“I’ll probably miss them all, but we’ll see how I deal with missing football.”