Jurgen Klopp returned to Anfield on Saturday afternoon as a Liverpool Legends side were pegged back by a team of Borussia Dortmund greats
Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp was back at Anfield(Image: (Peter Byrne/PA Wire))
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Jay Spearing hailed the brilliance of Jurgen Klopp after scoring a screamer for Liverpool Legends against Borussia Dortmund Legends. A side of Reds legends from years gone by were held to a 2-2 draw by a team of Dortmund greats at Anfield on Saturday.
The game was in aid of the LFC Foundation and also saw the return of Jurgen Klopp to Anfield for the first time since the Reds lifted the Premier League title last season. And Spearing revealed that the German made his side, managed by Sir Kenny Dalglish, feel a million dollars ahead of kick-off.
He said: “He's been incredible. I think since he's come back, I was very fortunate enough for the first 18 months to work alongside him and see what he does on a day-to-day basis.
“But to have him back, the enthusiasm, the love he has for this club, the love we have for the fans. He gave us that boost.
“We had a chat before we went out in the game, and it was incredible. It was silent; you could hear a pin drop because everyone was zoomed in, listening to him.
“And he made you feel a million dollars. We went up there and the lads really performed, and he's fantastic to have around.”
After Thiago Alcantara fired the Reds ahead after six minutes, Spearing doubled his side’s advantage with a thunderbolt from range just before the break.
Thiago Alcantara celebrates with his team-mates
Thiago Alcantara celebrates with his team-mates(Image: (Peter Byrne/PA Wire))
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The strike left a number of the 37-year-old’s team-mates shocked, and Spearing was equally as shocked, so much so that he took the matchball home with him.
“I don’t score many goals and I didn’t know what to do, genuinely,” he said. 'It came at me earlier and the crowd shouted to shoot and I thought, "Nah, that’s not my game'.
“Then when that fell to the edge of the box, I had a go. I caught it sweet; it sounded nice and thankfully it went into the top bin. It’s a moment I'm going to cherish, as you can see, because I robbed the ball.”
Although Mohamed Zidan and Jan Koller drew Dortmund level, it was still Gerrard and Thiago who starred, and Spearing admits he is still pinching himself at being able to play alongside such talent.
Jay Spearing celebrates with Thiago Alcantara
Jay Spearing celebrates with Thiago Alcantara(Image: (Peter Byrne/PA Wire))
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“I'm in a very fortunate position that I'm just ticking off boxes at the minute,” he said. “I am a local lad, I love the club, I'm a Liverpool fan.
“To go and play a legends’ game at Anfield in front of over 60,000, alongside Stevie G, who I played with, but also with Thiago – he's an absolute master of football, isn't he?
“He was in an unbelievable bit of a pinch-me moment, but I loved every single minute of it. I would have loved to have won the game, but listen, we have the draw and we move on, as people say.”
The game was played in front of a 60,000-strong crowd, the highest ever legends fixture attendance, and Spearing said, "Any time you come back to Anfield, in front of the new stand, at the full house, you've got over 60,000 people; it's incredible.
'Yeah, I've been keeping a lot fitter, but the lads are telling me that I've got to run the most, which makes it a bit more pressure to run around, and everyone's shouting me to go and press when I'm a bit like: 'Hold on, give me a sec to breathe.'
Sir Kenny Dalglish and members of the Liverpool Legends team after the game against Borussia Dortmund
Sir Kenny Dalglish and members of the Liverpool Legends team after the game against Borussia Dortmund(Image: (Peter Byrne/PA Wire))
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“But it was incredible, and the job that I got is – I know how fortunate I am to have the job. I would like to thank the club for the trust that they have in me to do it, and it's all about developing the next generation, the next player to go for the first team, and that's the big goal for me.
“You can see Jamie Webster before; how he gets the crowd going, you see that family effect. It's good to find the next generation of Liverpool fans coming and getting that chance and opportunity to come to Anfield and experience a game and obviously a few goals.
“We want to try and keep the next generation coming and to enjoy it and have a fantastic day out and raise a lot of money for the LFC Foundation, which is obviously the main priority.”