Jurgen Klopp has hailed Pep Guardiola as the best manager in the world - but the Liverpool boss will depart Anfield desperate to know whether Manchester City have cooked the books.
Klopp will bring the curtain down on his eight-and-a-half-year reign and one of the greatest managerial rivalries in the Premier League era when the Reds face Wolves in front of an emotion-charged Kop on Sunday.
He has lifted the Champions League, Premier League, the FA Cup, two Carabao Cups, the Club World Cup, European Super Cup and Community Shield during his time on Merseyside - but Guardiola’s genius has prevented him from winning so much more.
And while the German has nothing but respect for Guardiola as he attempts to lift an historic fourth successive title, he admits that he wants answers about the 115 Premier League charges that continue to cloud City’s achievements.
“Everybody knows about the 115 charges, but I have no clue what that means,” said Klopp. “I only know the number. Whatever has happened at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world - and that is really important.
“If you put any other manager in that club, they don't win the league four times in a row. That's down to him and his boys. Does that mean they can do what they want? No. But I don't know what they did - if they did anything - and I'm not here to say they have.
“We will see. Of course, I would like to know (if City are guilty) one day. Everyone wants to know. But I will be somewhere else. The quality of Pep makes the difference so I don't worry about these things. We will see. It's not my problem and I am fine with what we have and what we've achieved."
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Klopp remains the only manager to have won more games against Guardiola than he has lost. Liverpool have finished runners-up to City twice as they’ve locked horns over the last eight years - both times seeing the title go to Etihad on the final day of the season.
In 2019, the Reds’ only defeat of the campaign was in East Manchester - but although they amassed 97 points, they still came second by a point.
Two years ago, City trailed Aston Villa 2-0 with 14 minutes of their last game remaining but scored three times in five minutes of madness to once again break Liverpool hearts.
Liverpool’s title triumph in 2020 is the only time City have failed to win the title in six seasons - and the Reds also knocked the Blues out of Champions League in spectacular fashion two years earlier.
Guardiola has recognised Klopp as his greatest-ever managerial adversary. And he has steadfastly defended his club against claims of financial misdeeds after Etihad bosses declared they have “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” to prove their innocence.
Klopp, meanwhile, insists he is satisfied with the body of work he will be leaving behind at Anfield. He said: “It’s not important what I thought about the Liverpool fans before I arrived, it’s much more important what I think of them as I leave - and I couldn’t think more highly.
“I couldn’t feel more love or appreciation. It’s just not possible. Yes, I think we did quite well! There have been some life-changing moments, obviously, for all of us - especially for a lot of people who didn’t wear a shirt.
“I know myself and I am super-emotional. I was super-emotional this week. The players did an incredibly nice thing, speaking about me and other members of staff who are leaving.
“If I had started to say what I think, I would have been gone emotionally. I knew it. On Sunday I will obviously have to say the right things when I speak to 60,000 in the stadium and the other fans worldwide.
“I haven’t worked out how that will be, but seeing Anfield for the last time in that way…. I am fine with it. We had a great time together but this day will be difficult. That is the price you pay.”
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