Jurgen Klopp is full of praise for the ‘incredible job’ Vincent Kompany has done at Burnley while highlighting the threat of Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash on Saturday.
Top vs second bottom. A team with 51 points hosting a team with just 13.
Casual observers would probably describe this one – Liverpool hosting Burnley in the most 3pm of 3pm fixtures – as something of a ‘foregone conclusion’.
Jurgen Klopp, however, is long enough in the tooth to know that nothing is certain in football. Burnley may have won only one of their last nine top-flight games but The Clarets head to Merseyside on a high after fighting back from 2-0 down against Fulham last time out, Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana securing fans’ favourite status in double-quick fame with a 20-minute brace off the bench.
Jurgen Klopp wary of Burnley threat
“I think from the outside world it’s probably a ‘banana skin’. For a sportsperson, it’s actually not, because it’s an opponent (we) respect a lot,” Klopp tells the Liverpool website.
“I really think Vinny is doing an incredible job, to be honest. He learned so early in his managing career so many very important things for the career after it. Having all the highs you can have, with running through the Championship last year like nobody else before. Then getting knock after knock by playing good football, by sticking to their principles.
“I couldn’t respect it, I couldn’t admire it, more, to be honest. You see them still playing.”
Fofana joined Chelsea in a £10 million deal from Malmo in January 2023. The Ivory Coast international already has more goals for Burnley than he does for his parent club, however, his mid-season arrival a welcome boost to the division’s second-most profligate attack.
Chelsea loanee hopes to stun Liverpool at Anfield
“Now, Fofana has scored two goals. (In the) game before, I think he was involved in the goal as well,” Klopp adds. “They have now somebody (who) looks like they can score goals, on top of all the other boys.
“The first thing we should forget is where Burnley is in the table because only that creates a potential banana skin. If you just see it as a game, the most important game, which it is obviously because there is no other, then I think we should be ready for it.
“But still, it’s football. We have a lot of work to do.”
Liverpool will stay top of the table if they win this weekend, with Arsenal and Manchester City looming only two points behind.
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