Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has the potential to become the best player in the world.
Jurgen Klopp has dismissed any talk of that famous slip by Steven Gerrard in Liverpool’s failed title challenge in 2014 and is instead focusing on how to stop Eden Hazard.
Chelsea’s visit to Anfield on Sunday, has drawn comparisons to the two sides’ meeting almost five years ago, when the then Liverpool captain slipped to gift the Blues the lead, and hand eventual champions Manchester City an advantage in the title race.
Klopp’s class of 2019 hold a similarly precarious lead at the top of the table this season – two points clear having played a game more – and any setback in their final five games could once again hand City the initiative.
Liverpool host a rejuvenated Chelsea side this weekend, inspired by their star forward Eden Hazard, who has scored four times in his last five league games.
Klopp has challenged his players to make sure Hazard does not ‘shine’ against Liverpool.
Asked how he plans to stop the Belgium international, Klopp said: “We will try to make sure he doesn’t shine by reading the game and reading passes to him, reacting a little better.
“It’s not easy. In some situations you can’t defend and hopefully help will come in from somewhere else.
“On his day he can be the world’s best. He has had a brilliant career so far and he has a lot of the things that I like in football.
“He is a good player but with all good players, they have to play against us and we will try everything to deny a couple of his skills.”
Jurgen Klopp says there is no point dwelling on Liverpool’s 2014 defeat to Chelsea when Steven Gerrard slipped and the Reds’ title challenge faded
Klopp’s attention may be solely on stopping Hazard, but he was unable to avoid questions about that Gerrard slip. Despite the similarities with their own title run-in, Klopp insists his side are writing a “completely new story”.
“I’m not sure if that’s in anybody’s mind apart from yours,” Klopp said. “I heard about it of course but it is nothing to do with us. It’s all about the game on Sunday and not about the past.
