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Jurgen Klopp gives sarcastic five-word reply to controversial Liverpool v Man City KO time
Jurgen Klopp spoke to the press before Liverpool's blockbuster Premier League clash with Manchester City on Saturday.
Jan Molby previews Liverpool's clash with Manchester City
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp sarcastically insisted that he "loves" playing at 12.30pm after previously complaining about the scheduling of their upcoming Premier League blockbuster with Manchester City. The Reds have been handed that TV slot regularly this season but on this occasion, the German took a different approach rather than bemoaning the kick-off time.
"I love playing at 12.30," Klopp joked at the end of his Friday press conference when asked again about the scheduling. Liverpool once again have been given the early spot following an international break, giving them the least amount of time to prepare along with City.
"My English isn't good enough to waste our time to make sure you understand," he explained. "(Thomas) Tuchel explained calmly a situation and German newspaper said he had a rant. That wasn't a rant. No one wants to hear it. I love playing at 12.30."
Ahead of the trip to the Etihad on Saturday, Klopp had Sky Sports reporter Vinny O'Connor in a joking headlock as he bemoaned the reporter's employer for forcing them to play at that time.
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Klopp landed a light jab on the reporter's chest before exclaiming: "Thank you for the 12:30!" To which O'Connor claims that he deserved a red card for the tussle.
The issue is especially prevalent due to the number of South American internationals potentially involved on Saturday, who were playing for their countries in the early hours of Wednesday morning before catching long flights back to England.
Before the international break, Klopp lambasted the decision to pick Saturday's top-of-the-table clash as the early TV game. He said "How can you put a game like this on Saturday at 12.30pm? Honestly, the people making these decisions, they cannot feel football, it is just not possible.
"And it is the moment where the world pays the most to see a football game. These two teams could have, all together, about 30 international players. They all come back on the same plane by the way, all the South American players.
"They all fly back together, we put them on the plane from Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. One game, one plane, they all come back. We just have to make sure we are ready for this game.”