Liverpool would prefer next week’s away fixture against Manchester City to be held at the Etihad Stadium and not moved to a neutral venue due to the COVID-19 situation, manager Juergen Klopp has said.
Liverpool, who could potentially seal their first English league crown in 30 years against City next Thursday, are awaiting a decision from a safety advisory group on the venue.
“Honestly, I would prefer it is at Manchester, otherwise it would be really difficult to organise it,” Klopp told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s league clash against Crystal Palace.
Authorities could shift the game to a neutral venue due to concerns Liverpool fans might congregate outside the stadium to celebrate their success.
“I don’t know how it would be but it would not be in Liverpool so it would mean we both have to go somewhere where we both need a hotel. That is the only issue,” Klopp added.
“Apart from that we play where they send us to but I would prefer it in Manchester ... I’ll wait until the final information is confirmed whether it is Manchester or not. It would be a challenge for both clubs.”
Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane says he has no issue with their style of play under manager Jose Mourinho after scoring their second in Tuesday’s 2-0 Premier League home victory over West Ham United.
It was Kane’s first goal since recovering from a hamstring tendon injury during the three-month shutdown, and it helped Spurs seal their first win in eight matches in all competitions, lifting them to seventh in the league.
Sky Sports analyst Paul Merson said after Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Manchester United last Friday that Kane would struggle to score goals in Mourinho’s conservative system and that the striker would consider switching clubs if he continued with his approach.
“I’ve got no problem with how the manager plays. He’s here to win, we’re here to win games... obviously this season, to get into the Champions League and next season to progress and try to win something,” Kane told the BBC.
