Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged his team to keep their cool ahead of Wednesday’s Merseyside derby game with Everton.
Klopp has witnessed many derby games in Germany during his time with Borussia Dortmund – and while he acknowledged the need to be passionate and aggressive – the most important challenge is to keep those emotions in check.
“Maybe one or two fans want to see stuff like this, but it will never help,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference.
“I understand aggressiveness only in one way, and that is being prepared to hurt yourself, not somebody else.
“Before I went to Dortmund there were lots of red cards in derbies. I don’t want to see this. Not to show ‘I am the man’.
“The best football is always full of emotion, passion and aggressiveness. It’s special because of expectations, that’s clear. But to handle emotions and the pressure is one of the big challenges in top-class football.”
