Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Manchester United counterpart Erik ten Hag have called for an end to chants about tragedies such as Munich and Hillsborough ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash between the sides at Anfield.
In a joint statement on both clubs’ official websites, Klopp said: ‘We do want the noise, we do want the occasion to be partisan and we do want the atmosphere to be electric.
‘What we do not want is anything that goes beyond this and this applies especially to the kind of chants that have no place in football. If we can keep the passion and lose the poison it will be so much better for everyone.’
Ten Hag said: ‘It is unacceptable to use the loss of life – in relation to any tragedy – to score points, and it is time for it to stop.
‘Those responsible tarnish not only the reputation of our clubs but also, importantly, the reputation of themselves, the fans, and our great cities.
Ten Hag will be experiencing the Anfield cauldron for the first time but he insists he expect his side to cope with the intensity and hostility as his improving side aims to complete a rare league double over their fiercest rivals.
‘I’m looking forward to it, the ambience, the atmosphere,’ said Ten Hag at his pre-match press conference. ‘It will be great, it will be hostile against us, but we like that.
‘I know these players, my squad, my team, will be prepared to go there and fight and to go there with confidence.
‘We know it’s going to be difficult, we know we will have to suffer and we will have to sacrifice to get a good result.
‘I think our team, our mentality in general is very good. I think we also have many leaders who set the mentality, who set the standards, who control the standards, who correct if necessary.
‘I think we are happy with this process but it can always be better. That has to be the approach.’
The tables have turned from recent seasons, with United the team looking virtually certain of Champions League football and Liverpool fighting for the scraps.
Jurgen Klopp’s team have belatedly found some form in the league, winning three of their last four matches to close to within 10 points of United and six of fourth-placed Tottenham.
Ten Hag was reluctant to pronounce a definitive change to the league hierarchy, saying: ‘We are still in the season now. It’s always a pattern, never does it always go so consistently.
‘It’s fluid and I am sure Liverpool have really good management, a really good playing philosophy and a really good strategy. We are aware of that but we are not talking about other clubs.
‘We are talking about us and I think we are in a good direction and with our philosophy, strategy and culture, we have to keep making progress. It’s all about that.’
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