Jürgen Klopp has just been handed potential Liverpool injury boost as Man City plan clear

Man City welcome Liverpool after the international break and Jurgen Klopp’s plan to beat Pep Guardiola again could get a major boost.

Darwin Núñez was supposed to circumnavigate the world this week. The Reds forward has been called up for international duty by his Uruguay boss Diego Alonso, and his side are set to play friendlies against Japan and South Korea before the end of April.

Núñez would have been an integral part of the Uruguayan squad, but shortly after the announcement he withdrew due to injury and received treatment at the AXA training center instead. It’s unfortunate for the 23-year-old, but it could also be a good time for Jurgen Klopp, who has a top fight to fight after the international break ends. Liverpool take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in one of the toughest games on the Premier League calendar. Klopp will need all his firepower if his Reds jersey is to secure victory, which is why Núñez’s absence from the Uruguay squad could inadvertently benefit his club’s fortunes.

The South American striker will benefit from extra time on the training ground as Liverpool prepare for their upcoming game in Hollywood, with Núñez set to be central to Klopp’s tactical plan given his aptitude for causing problems for a side led by Pep Guardiola.

The Spanish coach is the master of mastering procedures. His players consistently set the pace in matches and as a result are rarely challenged on the defensive side of the game, with 31 fewer shots than any other Premier League side so far this season. Due to Man City’s tendency to dominate possession, opponents tend to take advantage of counterattacks. Klopp has a remarkable record against Guardiola and much of that story stems from the German’s realization that quick counter-attacks and direct moves are most effective against his rival.

Guardiola has faced Klopp more than any other opponent in his managerial career and of the 15 managers he has faced at least 10 times, his points-per-game record against the Reds boss is the lowest, with an average of just 1.3 per game in the league. 1.7 against him José Mourinho for example and 2.1 against former Liverpool player Brendan Rodgers.

The Spanish coach is the master of process control. Its players constantly dictate the pace of games and are therefore rarely challenged on the defensive side of the game, having had 31 fewer shots than any other Premier League side so far this season. Due to Man City’s tendency to dominate possession, opponents tend to take advantage of counterattacks. Klopp has a remarkable record against Guardiola and much of that story stems from the German’s realization that quick counter-attacks and direct moves are most effective against his rival.

Guardiola has faced Klopp more times than any other opponent in his managerial career and of the 15 managers he has faced at least 10 times, his points-per-game record against the Reds boss is the lowest, with an average of just 1.3 per game in the league. against 1.7 against him José Mourinho for example and 2.1 against former Liverpool player Brendan Rodgers.

Due to Man City’s tendency to dominate possession, opponents tend to take advantage of counterattacks. Klopp has a remarkable record against Guardiola and much of that story stems from the German’s realization that quick counter-attacks and direct moves are most effective against his rival. Guardiola has faced Klopp more than any other opponent in his managerial career and of the 15 managers he has faced at least 10 times, his points-per-game record against the Reds boss is the lowest, with an average of just 1.3 per game in the league. 1.7 against him José Mourinho for example and 2.1 against former Liverpool player Brendan Rodgers.

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Like Núñez, Haaland arrived on English shores last summer and he is physical, fast, direct and very dangerous. Given Liverpool’s ongoing defensive issues this season, the 22-year-old could be perfectly suited to help Guardiola improve on his unhealthy header record against Klopp.

No player in England’s top flight has scored more goals than Haaland’s paltry 28, but no player has averaged as many shots for 90 goals as Núñez. The former tops the missed chances chart, the latter second, with both players making a huge impact since joining from Borussia Dortmund and Benfica in the Premier League.

It remains to be seen whether either will start when Liverpool meet Manchester City in early April, but neither injury appears to be that serious and both players are hoping for an involvement. The two English heavyweights are likely to be a close game if they finish on the same ground next week and Núñez and Haaland each have the power to decide the outcome on the fly. They are as threatening as they come and with Klopp and Guardiola both favoring attacking football, the pair could thrive after a two-week break.