Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are the not favourites for Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final against Southampton but admits the Reds could benefit from having home advantage in the second leg.
After defeating Leeds in the quarter finals, Liverpool travel to St Mary’s on Wednesday targeting a place in the Wembley showpiece for the second consecutive year.
Following a heartbreaking final defeat at the hands of Manchester City last season, the Reds have a chance at redemption if they can overcome Claude Puel’s men, though Klopp has warned against any complacency, aware of the real nature of cup competitions.
“It would be nice if we could go to the final,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference. “Are we favourites against Southampton? Whoever says this has not a real idea about cup competitions!
“I this was the case, then in the last few years the finals all over the world always would have been the same teams involved. I don’t think Sevilla – Liverpool last year was the expected final. Everybody expected Sevilla in the final but not us, but we were there and I think we deserved it.
“There is not more pressure on us [than Southampton], it’s an opportunity for both teams. I don’t think about missed chances or whatever; it’s always a new day, always a new chance, always a new final.
“I said to the lads last year that it will not the last final we will be involved in after Basel. This will be the first chance for us to prove this, so let’s try it.”
At this stage last year, Liverpool beat Stoke 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium before getting the better of the Potters on penalties at Anfield, and Klopp concedes he is happier to have the away leg first once again as he bids to potentially set up a mouthwatering final against fierce rivals Manchester United.
“If you asked before [the draw], I would say that nearly everybody would say ‘let us play first away and then try to make the decision in the home game’. It’s not a decisive advantage if we don’t perform, that’s how it is.
“We can’t think about the second game in this moment because now we have to go to Southampton, it’s the first leg and I am pretty sure they’re pretty ambitious in this tournament.
“It [the final] is a big thing, it’s a real and proper final at Wembley. We’ve had this experience once before and for us it felt always like we missed a little bit there.
“In this moment, probably a few people think it would be a nice final – Manchester United against Liverpool, but there are another two legs to go and hopefully at the end it’s not Hull against Southampton. Even then, it would be deserved. It’s difficult, but we are ambitious too and that’s what we showed all the time, so let’s try it again.”
After making a host of changes in Sunday’s frustrating goalless draw with Plymouth, Klopp is set to field a much stronger side, with Loris Karius set to start in goal and Philippe Coutinho in contention after an injury lay-off.
