Berliner Tageszeitung - Klopp backs Liverpool's decision to mark coronation by playing anthem

The national anthem is being played at Premier League matches this weekend to mark the King's coronation in London on Saturday.

But Liverpool fans have regularly booed the anthem before cup finals at Wembley to show their long-standing resentment against the British establishment.

The supporters' jeers are motivated by the city's political background and, more recently, the controversial handling of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster and the subsequent fight for justice.

During Wednesday's win over Fulham, fans in Anfield's Kop Stand sang a derogatory chant against the coronation.

But, with more boos expected when the anthem is played on Saturday, Liverpool boss Klopp said: "The club's position is my position. That is clear. Besides that, this is definitely a subject which I cannot really have a proper opinion about," said Klopp.

"I am from Germany, we don't have a king or a queen, I am 55 years old and I have no experience of that.

"Watching from the outside, it is a nice thing to watch when all the weddings are massive things in Germany but no one really knows what it is like. It is like watching a movie. We don't feel that.

"I am pretty sure a lot of people in this country will enjoy the coronation. Some will not be interested and some will not like it. That is it and that is over the whole country."

Klopp will be more concerned with his team's performance in a vital game against Brentford than any reaction to the anthem.

Fifth placed Liverpool's five-match winning run has given them faint hope of qualifying for next season's Champions League via a top four finish in the Premier League.

But fourth placed Manchester United are four points ahead of Liverpool with a game in hand and Klopp does not believe they will manage to overhaul their old rivals.

"Other teams are in much better positions. As long as they win games, we have no chance and we have to keep teams behind us, which for not all of them we can do that," he said.

"We have 59 points, United has 63 so we can get 71 maximum. United needs for that eight points from 15. I think they will do that. They win three games of the rest and that is it for us."

Klopp also revealed Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara is having surgery on a hip injury to ensure he is fit for next season.

"Thiago will have surgery and is out for the rest of the season. It's the same issue he was recently out for a couple of months with," he said.

O. Larsen--BTZ