Klopp offered olive branch by pundit over feud sparked by Man Utd criticism

26 July 2023 , 21:23

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Image: Getty Images)

Gabriel Agbonlahor has surprisingly named Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as his favourite Premier League manager, despite the pair having previously been involved in a spat over Manchester United.

Last season, the former Aston Villa striker branded United "amateur" and "a shambles" after they were beaten 4-0 by Brentford in Erik ten Hag's second game in charge. Klopp then came to Ten Hag's defence a week later as Liverpool prepared to take on United, claiming he was "close to calling in" to talkSPORT to confront Agbonlahor.

"It was obviously not a nice week for United after the Brentford game," Klopp said. "We forget in these moments how good Brentford are. It [the reaction] was that bad. I drove home, watched the first half here [at Liverpool's training ground], drove home and listened to talkSPORT.

"Gabby… he lost against us 6-0 in my first year, I couldn't remember him as a mentality monster on the pitch. What he said about United on that show, I was close to calling in. I was close to calling in and telling him, you forgot completely what it’s like to be a player.

"It was unbelievable! When ex-players go like this then you can imagine how everything else is going." Agbonlahor then branded Klopp's comments "strange", before later claiming he had "rattled" the Liverpool boss.

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However, the ex-England international now seems to want to put the bizarre feud behind him, having offered to "grab a coffee" with Klopp, after hailing him as an "outstanding manager". Agbonlahor told talkSPORT : "Jurgen, if you're listening this is my make-up.

"We'll grab a coffee and sort out our differences! Klopp has been an outstanding manager and last season will have been upsetting for him – Mane leaving, Diaz being injured and Jota being injured.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has named Klopp as his favourite Premier League manager

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"People tested Trent and their defence more but the signings that they've brought in with more signings means that they'll bounce back. They might fall short in winning the Premier League but they'll be up there with Arsenal challenging."

Agbonlahor added he would have loved to have played for Klopp, saying: "Watching Liverpool, especially Mane, Salah and Firmino in that era, there was no messing around. That's the sort of football I liked. I wasn't really into the tiki-taka and all that stuff, I wanted to get the ball and run.

"Gareth Barry would get the ball and I'd run in-behind. Ashley Young gets the ball, he'd play it in-behind. I'd want to be through on goal, 1v1s and that's what Liverpool were like. Trent, Robertson, Salah, Mane; get the ball, go in one-on-one, play it across the box and a tap-in or score yourself. I liked that sort of football."

Agbonlahor named Klopp as his favourite boss in the Premier League and says he'd least like to have played for Pep Guardiola - because he wasn't technical enough.

Matthew Cooper