FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - April 1, 2023 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp shakes hands with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff/File Photo
(Reuters) - Liverpool have nothing but respect for their title rivals Manchester City, manager Juergen Klopp said on Friday as he played down the debate over Trent Alexander-Arnold's comments before this weekend's top of the table clash.
In an interview with FourFourTwo, the Liverpool defender said that trophies meant more to Liverpool than for City because of the financial situation at both clubs.
City's Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias responded saying that Alexander-Arnold doesn't know how it feels to win a treble, and Klopp was asked to comment on the argument ahead of Sunday's meeting with City.
"I'm not sure how often in this club we have to say how much we respect the opponent, in this case City, and mean it," Klopp told a press conference.
"Pep (Guardiola) is the best manager in the world, I have a really good life with not being even close to that. Haaland is the best number nine, Kevin De Bruyne will go down in history, Phil Foden best English player at the moment.
"Trent respects that, but he's born in Liverpool, he played through all the youth teams. One of our slogans that I love is "This Means More" and it means more, to us, we have no clue 100% what it means to other people."
Much has been made of the fact that this could be the last meeting between Klopp and Guardiola, with the Liverpool manager leaving at the end of this season, but the German said they were not rivals.
"I don't feel there's a rivalry, I understand why you call it like that but we're both pretty competitive, we both want to win games," Klopp said.
"But it's not a rivalry. If we meet in the future it will be full of respect, I think I've said it often enough how much I respect him, and we would have a lot to talk about.
"On Sunday it's not about me having that opportunity last time, anyway we're not sure, we could meet again in the FA Cup... but it's probably the game of the weekend."
While Klopp admitted that Guardiola is a better manager than him, it isn't something which bothers him.
"I knew 3,000 players who were better than me but I still loved the game," Klopp said.
"It never frustrated me, he made me a better manager. I know I am not bad but he is the best."
Defenders Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate were substituted during Thursday's 5-1 Europa League win over Sparta Prague, and while Klopp said that Gomez is fine, Konate will have a scan on an injury and is still a doubt.
Liverpool go into the game at Anfield with a one point lead over City in the standings, with Arsenal a further point back in third, and Klopp knows Sunday's match won't decide anything just yet.
"City games are always big games, probably always will be. Title race decider? I don't know who brought that up, I think it's really early," Klopp laughed.
"I don't think, whatever the result, anyone should open the bottles of champagne."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Toby Davis)
