MY ACCOUNT
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his reign is “far from being over” and he appreciates Steven Gerrard’s comments after taking over at Aston Villa this week.
Former Anfield star Gerrard, often tipped as a future Liverpool manager, has left Scottish champions Rangers to join Villa in his first Premier League job.
But Gerrard rejected a suggestion he had taken the role as a stepping stone to managing Liverpool in the future.
He then claimed he would be happy if Klopp signed a lifetime contract, given how well he has done with the Reds.
Klopp is under contract at Anfield until 2024 and while he has not thought about a new deal, he was grateful to Gerrard and reiterated there is plenty of time left for him in his current job.
“I thought Stevie said a lot of nice things, a lot of smart things,” said Klopp, whose side host Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, when he was asked about his contract.
“I don’t have to think about these kind of things at the moment – thank God – because we are in the middle of the season.
“I think I spoke before about this, but no other manager gets asked so often about things that could happen in two or three or four years.
“I didn’t think about it, I don’t want to think now about it, it’s all fine how it is. It’s over when it’s over, but it’s far from being over.”
Gerrard will face Brighton and Hove Albion in his first match at Villa, in the hours before the Liverpool v Arsenal clash.
Klopp revealed he had been in touch with Gerrard, with their two respective teams due to do battle next month.
“After he signed the contract we sent messages,” said Klopp. “And they are messages, otherwise I would have posted them [online], which I don’t do, because they are private.
“I’m looking forward to meeting him, I’m really happy for him. But what we said will stay private.”
Liverpool are hoping to keep up a strong track record against Arsenal this weekend – they have won their last five home Premier League matches against the Gunners, netting at least three goals in every victory.
And since Klopp took charge of Liverpool in 2015, Arsenal have won just one of 11 Premier League games against the Reds, with three draws and seven defeats part of that sequence.
