Ir wasn’t very long ago, just a year and three months that the biggest fixture on the English football calendar had to be rescheduled due to a Manchester United fan protest descending into anarchy. The pitch at Old Trafford was invaded before kickoff by protestors railing against the Glazer family, which owns the club. Similar demonstrations are planned tomorrow, when United host Liverpool again although this time the supporters have said they will simply boycott attending the match.
It could result in chaos again, and if so, a cancellation could happen. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp believes his side deserves a victory, if this scenario were to play out.
Manchester United vs Liverpool FYIs
Kickoff: Mon Aug 22, 8pm, Old Trafford
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify ย Apple
Team News:ย Man Unitedย ย Liverpoolย
Starting XI Predictions: Man Unitedย ย Liverpool
Details on Planned Supporter Protest: go hereย
Google Result Probability: Liverpool win 60%ย Draw 21%ย Man United win 19%
Watch: This is not on TV in the United States, only on a fee required streaming service, and itโs the additional cost, premium version of that service too.
“I really hope it will not happen but if it does happen, I think we should get the points,” Klopp said to the media.
“We have nothing to do with the situation and if the supporters want the game not happening, then we cannot just rearrange the game again and fit it in somewhere in an incredibly busy season.
“I have no idea what could happen and I don’t think about it. People tell us we are fine, we go there and play the game hopefully and go home. But in a situation like this always the other team should get the points because they have nothing to do with it and they have prepared for it.”
This isn’t the only time, this weekend, in which we heard Jurgen Klopp make some eyebrow raising comments.ย The German has also been feuding with former Aston Villa striker and pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, who slammed United on talkSPORT. Agbonlahorย described Unitedโs current squad as “amateurs,” and also added: โIf I was them now after this game Iโd be thinking, โYou know what, (manager Erik Ten Hag, just pack upโ.
โHeโs had pre-season and they have started the season as a shambles, theyโre like strangers on the pitch.โ
Klopp hit out at Agbonlahor.
“It was not a nice week for United after Brentford. We forget how good Brentford are,” Klopp said at his weekly press conference on Friday.
“I watched the first half and then drove home and listened on the radio to talkSPORT. Gabby Agbonlahor — he lost against us 6-0 in my first year and I couldn’t remember him as a mentality monster on the pitch but what he said about United on that show… I was close to calling in and telling him you forgot completely you have been a player.”
Agbonlahor, while appearing on another talk show, made a sharp response: โMate, I woke up and Iโve never seen my phone blow up as much as it was. I was like โwhatโs happened?โ, โ Jurgen Klopp has done thisโ.
โWhen Iโve seen it and Iโve seen the clip, Iโm thinking โcome on Jurgenโ. Itโs a bit too much, isnโt it? Itโs great for the show that heโs listening to our show, all managers should be. For me, Iโve got bosses at talkSPORT who I answer to. If my reaction to Manchester United being 4-0 down was too much then Iโm sure Iโd have heard about that.
โI donโt need Jurgen Klopp telling me how to be a pundit, he should concentrate on being a manager.”
Agbonlahor wasn’t done, adding:
โHe wouldnโt take advice on being a coach from me, would he? So Iโm not going to take advice from him. Itโs all settled now though. Simon Jordan sorted him out for me โ my good friend Simon, I owe him a drink.
โItโs very strange but Jurgen, if youโre listening, Iโm available for a chat any time. Weโll catch up in Liverpool and have a drink, no problem!โ
I guess we’ll see if this tiff escalates any further, but we seriously doubt it will. I think Klopp has more important things to concern himself with.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net)ย andย author of โTransatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,โ as well asย โNo, I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.โ
He has regularly appeared inย WGN,ย Sports Illustratedย and theย Chicago Tribune,ย and heย co-hosts theย After Extra Time podcast, part ofย Edge of the Crowd Network.ย Follow him and the websiteย onย Twitterย andย Instagram.
