LIVERPOOL MANAGER JURGEN KLOPP believes that stopping Manchester City's goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland is a 'challenge', but that his side will try and find a solution to the problem.
Haaland has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water. The 22-year-old has scored 20 goals in all competitions this season and has been backed to break Mohammed Salah's 38 season record of 32, he set a few years ago.
The City star played in the loss to Liverpool in the Community Shield in August and was kept scoreless, but now it's a totally different story, Liverpool have a different problem on their hands this coming Sunday
This weekend Liverpool takes on Manchester City at Anfield. Haaland and co head to Merseyside aiming to add to their impressive form this season, while Liverpool sits in 10th at this stage of the season.
📺 Jurgen Klopp on Erling Haaland’s combination of skills:
"His finishing skills are exceptional but he moves really smart. You can only use speed if you use it in a smart way.” 🔴 pic.twitter.com/SvnwNo7FUR— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) October 14, 2022
Klopp speaking his press conference said: "Like always when you play against the best striker in the world, you have to make sure he doesn't get that many balls," said Klopp.
"That is what you have to defend before you come into the challenge with him so that is what we will try.
"But against City the problem is if you close Haaland down with too many players then you open up gaps for all the other world-class players so that will not make life easier.
"It's a challenge, a football problem but we try and find solutions."
Klopp also recalled a time when his Liverpool side played Red Bull Salzburg from Austria in the Champions League in 2019
"When he was very young you could see the potential. It was insane," Klopp added.
"I don't think he started against us in the home game, he was injured and came on, but we were already pretty busy with thinking about him and how can we shut him down. He scored anyway.
"Physically he sets new standards, the combination of being really physical and technical, his orientation on the pitch is exceptional - he knows always where the decisive gaps are and is barely offside - so many things for making a striker.
Liverpool and Manchester United kicks-off at 4.30 Sunday