Saturday 17 March 2018 08:12, UK
Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool are by no means favourites to win the Champions League but says it's "cool" to be playing Manchester City in the quarter-finals.
Ahead of the first meeting between the two sides in European competition, Liverpool's overall record against City is impressive having won 87 of the 178 matches the teams have contested, losing on just 45 occasions.
Klopp is under no illusion how hard the tie will be for Liverpool but insists City are also aware of the scale of the task they face against his side, who are this season's Champions League top scorers.
"We are for sure not the favourites in this round but in the last eight there are not a lot of favourites," Klopp told Liverpool's official website.
Speaking at his news conference ahead of Liverpool's league game with Watford on Saturday, he added: "I didn't expect anything [in terms of the draw]. I didn't wish anything.
"I said it before that I think it is cool in the Champions League if you play a team from your own country and it became pretty clear it was going to happen. And I think it is an absolute dream draw for all Man Utd fans!
"I really don't mind [facing City in the quarter-finals]. We have enough time to prepare for that game until then. I will start thinking about it a lot before we play them.
"I knew it would be difficult and it will be difficult. The good news is that for Manchester City it will be difficult as well.
"I saw [City director of football Txiki] Begiristain's face after the draw and it didn't look like it was Christmas! It will be hard work and that is good because it is the last eight in Europe. If that would be easy then something would be wrong."
Klopp's immediate priority is avenging last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Manchester United when Watford visit Anfield on Saturday.
The German has never lost back-to-back Premier League games as Liverpool manager and has called on his team and the fans to help deliver a vital three points, which will lift his side back up to third in the table.
"We expect from ourselves to win football games, and especially if you lost a game like the last one, in an ideal world you would play again three hours later," he said.
"We keep that kind of revenge feeling during the week because we have to, and want to immediately go back on to the other side, the winning side.
"I saw the game from Arsenal against Watford and it was 3-0 right? That was not a 3-0. It was only the result, I saw the game and it was completely different.
"Watford were really strong that day missed created chances and caused them lots of problems. They are actually in a good moment even if results-wise the last one did not look like that.
"We respect them a lot but we have our own targets like always, and we have a home game. That should make it especially difficult for the opponent and we have nothing else to do than to create a really outstanding performance and atmosphere."
