Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has explained that Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival at Everton makes them “more dangerous” opponents for the Reds despite the latter’s strong record in the recent Merseyside derby games.
Sunday’s encounter at Anfield is arguably the tie of the third round, with Ancelotti set for his first experience of the famous Merseyside derby fixture.
Klopp and Ancelotti have faced off quite a few times during their managerial careers, including in the Champions League group stage in each of the past two seasons and the Italian remains the only manager to leave a mark on Klopp’s unbeaten run as Napoli defeated the Reds early in the European competition this term.
Since replacing Duncan Ferguson as the permanent manager of the club, Ancelotti has guided Everton to two wins from three Premier League games and has somewhat reinvigorated the squad which was in dire need of some uplifting.
Despite leading the Premier League table with a massive 13 point lead, Klopp is looking forward to taking on the three-time Champions League winner Ancelotti once again, this time in the Merseyside derby.
Ahead of the crunch clash against their fierce local rivals, the 52-year-old Klopp explained that Everton will be more dangerous under the management of Ancelotti, “Carlo being back in the English game is so cool for the competitions and even cooler for Everton,”
Klopp further added praise for his counterpart by stating, “I’m not sure if I’m doing either of us any favors by saying this, but in football terms, I really do consider him a friend. Such an amazing person and just so generous in spirit and personality. He’s won all there is to win, as a player and coach, and yet remain chilled and humble. He is a benchmark for those of us working in the game today on how to conduct yourself. His impact at Everton is already being felt – we can see this from our analysis. He has been clever in picking up on the positivity of approach injected by Duncan Ferguson”
