Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has conducted his pre-match press conference before this evening’s game at Newcastle.
The Reds are the only team to beat the Magpies this season, when they grabbed a last gasp equaliser in the reverse fixture back in August.
Eddie Howe’s side go into the game five places and nine points ahead of their visitors and Klopp was full of praise for his opposite number.
He also hailed five of his players, three of which were signed by Howe and two of whom were already there when he took over from Steve Bruce.
Jurgen Klopp praises Eddie Howe and five Newcastle players at pre-match press conference
He said: “Eddie is doing an exceptional job, absolutely exceptional. The financial possibilities they have or will have in the future, it’s exceptional and so far it’s not that it’s because of that – not at all. Eddie came there in a difficult situation.
“They stayed comfortably in the league, stuff like this and then the new season’s not like you didn’t recognise the team anymore from last year, like a complete overhaul or whatever. So, building on the team they had, improving players who were there – like Almiron, I always liked him but the way they are playing now obviously fits him extremely well.
“Callum [Wilson] is obviously a fantastic striker, I’m not sure if he’s injured tomorrow or not, they brought in Isak, makes absolute sense, Bruno Guimaraes is a massive player for them and all these kind of things.
“Trippier came in but lots of players were still there, and that obviously speaks volumes about the manager – how much he turned it around and made them a proper threat for everybody. It’s a super-intense football style and [a] difficult team to play against.”
Howe has spent money wisely in the transfer market but Klopp was also keen to point out that the Englishman has improved plenty of the players he inherited.
That is true, and one of the main reasons why Newcastle are pushing for the top four and find themselves in the EFL Cup final next Sunday.
It will be an interesting game this evening, with Newcastle looking to end their run of draws, and Liverpool looking to prove they have turned the corner after their 2-0 win over Everton on Monday night.