Solskjaer hopes to emulate Klopp

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hopeful of emulating the success of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and says Manchester United's bitter rivals are deserving of respect.

Liverpool are on course for a first top-flight crown since 1990 as they find themselves 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League with two games in hand.

The Champions League holders lifted the Club World Cup in December and can take another giant stride towards more silverware when hosting United on Sunday. United are the only side to have taken league points off Liverpool this term, doing so in a 1-1 draw in October, and Solskjaer admires what Klopp has achieved in five seasons at Anfield.

"He's a great manager and he's done a great job," Solskjaer told United's official website. "He did a rebuilding job and he started almost from scratch. 

 

January 19, 2020

"We've started something, we want to get back to challenging for the league. They are now challenging for the league, so well done. He's a very nice man, as well. He's a good manager and, of course, we do respect them. They have proven with their results and performances that they do deserve that respect.  I think we've shown them in the games that I've been here that we do prepare very well."

Fifth-placed United trail runaway leaders Liverpool by 27 points and are winless in their last four trips to Anfield in all competitions. However, Liverpool have won just one of their last 11 league encounters with United and Solskjaer is taking confidence from the draw at Old Trafford three months ago.

"As a manager, I've had Liverpool on the opposite side twice and we've had different ways of approaching it," he said. "Just go there and have the confidence, the courage and the arrogance - in a good way. Go there and believe in yourself. Handle the crowd, handle your team-mates. There are going to be tackles flying in - it's a local derby. Just win your individual battles and stay emotionally in the game. Control yourselves and just play the game."