Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag verdict on Jurgen Klopp's shock Liverpool decision

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted he ‘understands’ why Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has opted to bring an end to his nine-year reign at Anfield.

Shockwaves reverberated around the world of football on Friday morning when the German revealed he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season after guiding the Reds to a number of major honours since being named as successor to Brendan Rodgers in October 2015.

The former Borussia Dortmund manager ended Liverpool’s long wait for a Premier League title in 2020 just 12 months after they saw off league rivals Tottenham Hotspur to becoming Champions League winners for the first time since 2005. The Reds have also won the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA World Club Cup during Klopp’s time in charge.

However, the 56-year-old has confirmed he will step down from his role at the end of the season and admitted he was ‘running out of energy’ after helping the Reds move on from what many felt was a season of underachievement at Anfield last year.

Ten Hag, who has beaten Klopp’s Liverpool just once in four meetings after his appointment at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022, praised the ‘amazing job’ the German had overseen during his long reign with the red half of Merseyside - but understood why a difficult decision had been taken.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the United boss said: “It’s not good for the Premier League. He has made an era there, he built the club, he brought the club back where they belong, so congratulations on that. He has done an amazing job at Liverpool.

“I can understand that and nine years is a long time. I think it’s a period by building up achievements, target and also I think setbacks and going through difficult periods. The Premier League is very intense and with a combination of European club football, when you’re there nine years, it’s a long period. I can understand that running out of energy is one of his arguments for stepping down.”

Ten Hag will hope to take a step closer to emulating Klopp’s achievement of lifting the FA Cup when United visit League Two club Newport County on Sunday afternoon.