Klopp and Rangnick’s relationship “on hold”

Jurgen Klopp

admitted that he has not spoken with

Ralf Rangnick

since he joined

as the interim boss.

Rangnick is a huge figure when it comes to German football, using a similar high-pressing style like that which helped Klopp to be successful with Mainz,

and

.

The duo will now lock horns as their sides meet on Tuesday in English football’s biggest rivalry, with Liverpool aiming for a quadruple this season and United trying to make it to the top four on the Premier League table.

This match will be the two coaches’ 14th meeting and Klopp has only won two of the previous 13 games, being defeated five times and drawing six matches.

Quizzed about his relationship with United’s interim boss before the game, Klopp said:

"On hold.

"No, we didn't have contact since he was at United. I think that's mutual respect. I respect his job; he respects my job.

"I cannot make it a Klopp-Rangnick or Rangnick-Klopp game, I don't want to. I respect him for everything he did during his career – he did incredible jobs wherever he was.

"He took a difficult one at United, that's clear. There's big expectations with these things, big expectations but no time to get there. In our business, it's like this.

"You can see the changes he made and the parts he improved, but that's it. When I prepared the United game, I didn't think about Ralf in that moment. You watch the games and you prepare for this team.

"It's not about Ralf or me; it's a very important football game, a very, very important football game. The managers probably will not score the decisive goal."

United have been enduring a difficult season and Rangnick is about to be replaced by a permanent manager when the campaign is over. The favorite to replace him is Erik ten Hag.

However, United have gained 33 points in the 18 games Rangnick has managed, which is the fourth-most in the division in that time.

"United played some really, really good games [under Rangnick]," Klopp added, "but because it's United, even when you win the games, it's 'but that's still not there, it's not like this'.

"It's difficult to gain some momentum, I can imagine."

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