Jurgen Klopp says football can help bring people together in tough times as Liverpool gear up to face Everton on Saturday in a city placed under tough coronavirus rules.
Klopp’s champions travel to face Carlo Ancelotti’s Premier League leaders for a second Merseyside derby behind closed doors in four months.
Liverpool has been placed under the “very high” alert level of the British government’s new three-tier system to check the spread of Covid-19.
Under the strict rules many pubs and bars are closed and people are not allowed to socialise with anybody beyond those they live with.
The Liverpool squad itself has been hit in recent weeks, with Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara testing positive.
“I like to think that here football is always a massive point in this city,” said Klopp. “I think months ago we discussed ‘is football really necessary, does football play a role in society?’
“Obviously from a subjective point of view I was pretty sure it does.
“Usually when bad things happen, this city comes really together and tries to make the best of it. That is what we try from a football point of view for sure.
“I think if we played Man City now on the weekend it would have the same importance, it’s just football is an important thing.
“It’s just now because we are both clubs from the city, the whole city is united and will watch one football game, not two.”
Author
World Cup News
-
FIFA World Cup
/ 14 hours agoFrance’s Saliba ‘fine’ after injury scare, says Deschamps
France coach Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday that defender William Saliba is "fine" despite...
By AFP -
FIFA World Cup
/ 15 hours agoYamal, Williams should be fit for World Cup opener: De la Fuente
Forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams should be fit for Spain's World Cup opener,...
By AFP -
FIFA World Cup
/ 24 hours agoEngland launch World Cup build-up in steamy Florida
England kicked off their pre-World Cup preparations in Florida on Tuesday, holding a light...
By AFP -
FIFA World Cup
/ 2 days agoSotheby’s to auction Pele jersey worn in 1958 World Cup
The jersey worn by late football legend Pele during Brazil's 1958 World Cup victory...
By AFP