Klopp out to run down Rubin on Anfield first night

Anfield's patrons will run the rule over Jurgen Klopp for the first time on Thursday when he supervises his maiden Liverpool home game against Rubin Kazan in the Europa League.

Having grown accustomed to the tactical tweaking and press conference grandstanding of Brendan Rodgers over the last three years, the denizens of Anfield Road are now adjusting to the methods of the gregarious German.

Klopp has dazzled in his early media appearances, but last Saturday he unveiled his blueprint for on-pitch success with a high-pressing, hard-running team display in a 0-0 draw at Tottenham Hotspur.

"I liked what I saw," former Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports this week. "Very rarely do you see a manager stamp his authority on a team from day one, but that's what he did."

Liverpool's players ran a combined 116 kilometres in the game -- making them the first team to outrun Spurs this season -- and Carragher said: "As soon as they lose the ball, you can see they will keep pressing until they win it back.

"They're organised and you can see that has been worked on in the first two or three days in training."

Klopp jettisoned Rodgers' back three in favour of a 4-3-2-1 system at White Hart Lane, which saw 20-year-old Belgium international Divock Origi operate as a lone striker.

Injuries have restricted Klopp's options in attack, but he is expected to have Daniel Sturridge back for the visit of Rubin, while Christian Benteke is also closing in on a return to fitness.

Sturridge, who recently returned from a five-month lay-off after hip surgery, hurt his knee in a training-ground clash with Jordon Ibe, but Klopp said his absence at Spurs had been purely precautionary.

"I know Daniel now since one week and for six days he was perfect in training," said the former Borussia Dortmund coach, whose side host Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday.

- Bilyaletdinov return -

The Liverpool manager added: "Everything we did, he was full of power, skills. He was outstanding. It is OK for Daniel (to have missed the game against Tottenham).

"We need Daniel for sure and if we played this game on Thursday, then maybe he would play. No problem. I trust 100 percent this player."

Klopp's European pedigree -- notably a Champions League final appearance with Dortmund in 2013 -- was one of the factors in his appointment by Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group.

For now he must content himself with the Europa League and despite successive 1-1 draws at Bordeaux and at home to Swiss side FC Sion, Liverpool remain well placed to qualify from Group B.

They are currently second in the group, two points below Sion and a point above Rubin, who lost 2-1 away to Sion before drawing 0-0 at home to Bordeaux.

The team from Kazan in Tatarstan come into the match on the back of a 3-1 home win over FC Ufa in the Russian Premier League, which ended a series of six matches without victory in all competitions.

Former Russia winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is particularly looking forward to the trip to Merseyside as he previously spent three years playing for Liverpool's neighbours Everton.

"For me it will be very nice to walk onto the pitch at Anfield," said the 30-year-old left-footer, nicknamed 'Billy' during his time at Goodison Park.

"We know that the Europa League is not the most important tournament for the English teams, but I expect a tough and interesting match on Thursday."

Rubin caretaker coach Valery Chaly has a close to full-strength squad to choose from, although Bulgarian midfielder Blagoy Georgiev is a doubt after missing the game against Ufa through injury.
Source: AFP