Jurgen Klopp says it’s ‘a CRIME’ to make Manchester United play Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer prepares more changes for Liverpool… and vows he doesn’t care what Reds think
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made 10 changes in Man United’s defeat against Leicester
- The result saw Leicester move nine points clear of Liverpool in race for top four
- Solskjaer is set to recall his first-team stars for their home clash with Liverpool
- Victory over Liverpool would all but kill off Liverpool’s Champions League hopes
- Jurgen Klopp admitted he would have made as many changes to his team as well
- The German said it is ‘a crime’ that United are playing three matches in five days
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has jumped to the defence of Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, insisting it is ‘a crime’ that their rivals are having to play three Premier League matches in five days.
United beat Aston Villa on Sunday and lost at home to Leicester on Tuesday but will also take on Liverpool on Thursday night after their clash earlier this month was postponed because of fan protests in and around Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was forced to field a weakened team against Leicester, making 10 changes as the Foxes moved nine points ahead of Liverpool in the battle for a Champions League place.
Jurgen Klopp says it is ‘a crime’ Manchester United are playing three matches in five days
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made wholesale changes to his Man United side that lost to Leicester
Victory over Klopp’s side on Thursday would almost certainly kill off Liverpool’s Champions League hopes but Solskjaer maintains he had no choice but to rotate players for four games in eight days.
The Norwegian insisted earlier on Wednesday that he isn’t worried about the reaction from Klopp and the Liverpool fans but found an unlikely ally in the German.
Speaking ahead of his side’s trip to Old Trafford, Klopp said: ‘It was the line-up I expected. Not exactly but I knew he (Solskjaer) had to make these changes.
‘They played Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. I’ve said it 500 times that with all the protests at Manchester that led to this situation that to play Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday is a crime.
‘It’s not the fault of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the players. Would I have done the same? Yes. You have to, you have to. We are late in the season, United have gone to the Europa League final, which is an awful lot of games.
‘It is not possible to play Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday.
‘The weekend after is a weekend off for United. I am not the guy doing the schedule but my understanding when we thought how it could work out was there would be no Tuesday-Thursday game and you could have still played them all.
Anthony Elanga (left) and Amad Diallo (second from right) made their Premier League debuts
Leicester moved nine points ahead of Liverpool in the battle for a Champions League place
‘The explanation from the Premier League was that no other team should suffer because of what happened in Manchester. That didn’t work out pretty well. Nobody else did but a little bit Liverpool and West Ham.
‘But if we don’t get into the Champions League then it’s not the fault of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or the Premier League but in this case I think they could have done it differently.
‘But we are getting more and more used to things barely going in your favour or direction. We just accept it.’
Solskjaer is expected to recall his first-team regulars at home to Liverpool and insisted earlier on Wednesday that he isn’t concerned what Klopp and his players think about him.
He said: ‘My job is Man United and my concern is the Man United fans – what they think about my team, what they want from my team and that we come together as one and show what Man United is.’
Having given teenage wingers Amad Diallo and Anthony Elanga their Premier League debuts against Leicester, Solskjaer confirmed that he will rotate again as United look to cement second place behind Manchester City and prepare for the Europa League final against Villarreal in two weeks time.
‘There’ll be changes, of course,’ he added. ‘But many of the players that played against Leicester did really well, so they’re in contention as well.
Solskjaer believes Edinson Cavani will have an even bigger influence at United next season
‘It’s about managing the squad now, building momentum and confidence, making sure we get enough points to get second and then going into the final confident.’
Solskjaer brought on a number of senior players against Leicester to try to salvage the game and prevent City from being crowned champions.
It included in-form striker Edinson Cavani, who has scored eight goals in as many games, and Solskjaer expects the Uruguay striker to be even more influential next season after signing a 12-month contract extension.
‘I think we’ve seen the last few months what we can expect and what we want from him,’ said the United boss.
‘Next season he’ll come ready, he’ll be fit when he comes in pre-season. This year he had seven months of no football to catch up, which is not easy and he’s had a couple of niggles because of that.
‘He comes in every day and does everything right. The boys look at him. He gives us a No 9 position. I don’t know how many games we’ll get out of him, but he’s one of the best No 9s in the world at the moment.’
