Liverpool and Manchester United name their teams for Anfield clash

While it was an exciting contest, particularly for the neutral, it will be interesting to see whether the team can keep up that level of energy today when they welcome a side who have also been inconsistent this season.

And Klopp is relishing tomorrow’s massive clash against Manchester United and described derbies as the “salt in the soup”.

The Sunday World back page is dominated by Van Gaal’s claims that Klopp needs to “control himself” on the touchline, as the United boss has hit back at critics who claim he is too placid during a match.

Louis Van Gaal has launched another defence of his perceived negative tactics ahead of Sunday’s trip to Liverpool and warned there must be more to come if Manchester United are to regain their position at the pinnacle of the Premier League.

“It’s a special game for me and for the club”, said Klopp.

Van Gaal insisted: “I don’t think that is the kind of thing that plays on the mind of David De Gea”.

In contrast, Man Utd were the victims of a 90th minute equaliser last time out as Paul Dummett’s late strike for Newcastle United made them pay for passing up a succession of clear chances to put the game beyond doubt, leading to manager Louis van Gaal showing rare bursts of agitation in the coaching area. There is no great desire to sack van Gaal from the United hierarchy but his position has been hard to defend at times and that will come again should Liverpool win tomorrow and if there is an increased fear that the manager can not finish in the top four and deliver Champions League football next season. “You can see it on the faces of the players”, added Van Gaal.

“We have to watch what we can find out, if something has really changed or if it was only because of the good performance of Newcastle”. Liverpool play Manchester United on Sunday.

“Of course you can be over-motivated”. That’s what football is all about. Mistakes, you can only solve with your legs. “It’s too big, too well organised and we have an infrastructure and we are improving that every year”.

“It’s always about possession and in a few small things we are different characters”. He [Van Gaal] is more experienced. He has more experience; I am maybe a little bit more lively on the sideline!

Klopp has spoken of his desire to bring in a central defender to help cover for injuries to Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren but Caulker’s name was not touted as one of the contenders with speculation suggesting the German would go for a foreign player like Neven Subotic, whom he worked with at Borussia Dortmund.

The pair have forged a relationship in recent years after meeting at various coaching seminars and Klopp went so far as to compare the Scot to a Liverpool legend when asked about him. It was a big honour, the whole talk, to be honest. “I know the score”, Can told the Liverpool Echo.