Jurgen Klopp has seen and done quite a lot in just over eight years as Liverpool manager, but on Sunday he’ll face one unprecedented experience during his reign at Anfield.
The Reds make the trip to Luton Town this weekend for the first league meeting of the teams since 1992, and the first clash in any competition for nearly 16 years (lfchistory.net).
The Hatters’ Kenilworth Road stadium gained plenty of online publicity over the summer due to the away supporters’ entrance being situated underneath a private residence along a row of redbrick terraced houses.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Klopp voiced his excitement at making a first visit to the Bedfordshire club, although he’s expecting Rob Edwards’ side to make life rather difficult for Liverpool with their probable tactical setup.
The Reds manager said (via Liverpool Echo): “I heard about it [Kenilworth Road] but I didn’t see it yet. It’s one ground I haven’t been to before; I’m looking forward to it. I heard the dressing room isn’t massive, but all I need is a pitch, an opponent and us there. It’s exciting, I love the story.”
The 56-year-old added of Sunday’s opponents: “We will probably face a low block. We will probably face set pieces with quality. It’s Luton but it’s not the first time we will face a team who play that way.”
Luton’s rise from National League to Premier League in the space of only nine years is one of the most extraordinary success stories in modern football, and everyone involved in that incredible journey deserves massive commendation.
They’re understandably finding it tough going in the top flight, picking up only five points from their first 10 games (and just one at home), but they’ll revel in occasions like this when all the expectation will be on Liverpool to secure maximum points.
Klopp is also right to be wary of the Hatters’ set piece threat, having scored three of their nine league goals this season from dead-ball situations (33.3%).
As per WhoScored, only Everton have a higher proportions of set-piece goals in the Premier League (50%), so it’s not just lazy stereotyping to say that Luton could be dangerous from that particular avenue.
They also possess plenty of pace in attack from the likes of Chiedozie Ogbene, too, so they’re most certainly not a one-dimensional, up-and-at-them outfit.
It’ll definitely make for a novel away day for the travelling Liverpool fans, who’ll hopefully enjoy not just their experience of Kenilworth Road itself, but also three more points to take back to Merseyside.