Paul Merson says Jurgen Klopp is better than Pep Guardiola as he could take Rotherham to Premier League
Former Arsenal and Aston Villa footballer believes Guardiola would need to sign ‘£80m or £90m players’ to make his philosophy work at any club unlike Klopp
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Your support makes all the difference.Paul Merson has claimed that Jurgen Klopp is a better manager because he could “take Rotherham to the Premier League” unlike Pep Guardiola who he suggested would need to spend large sums of money despite the expensive recent player arrivals that have come at Anfield.
Klopp looks destined to take Liverpool to their first top-flight title in 30 years this season, with his side taking a 13-point lead in the Premier League this week with a game in hand over second-place Leicester City.
Guardiola’s side meanwhile find themselves a further point adrift of the runaway leaders, and suffered their latest setback in the 3-2 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday night that left the Spaniard ruling out a successful title defence this season.
It triggered a scathing assessment of the former Bayern Munich head coach from Sky Sports pundit Merson, who claimed that this season has proven the difference between Klopp and Guardiola.
“It’s all down to Klopp,” wrote Merson in his Daily Star column. “He’s built that team. And he’s beating Guardiola even though he hasn’t spent anywhere near as much money.
“That’s what makes him the best. Klopp could take Rotherham through the divisions and make them a Premier League club, given time.
“Guardiola can’t do that. He needs £80m or £90m players to make his system work. Klopp doesn’t. It’s a massive achievement, what he’s built.”
Liverpool’s net spend is considerably lower than City’s, with the club spending around £85m on player signings since the 2015/16 season when Klopp took charge. In comparison, City’s net spending in the same time has cleared the £500m mark.
However, Merson’s comments do not take into account the scale of player sales, which Liverpool have made considerably more out of in the same time thanks to the departures of Luis Suarez (in 2014) and Philippe Coutinho, which together attracted more than £170m that Liverpool were able to invest into the squad.
As a result, Klopp is able to boast the likes of Virgil van Dijk (£75m), Alisson (£56m) and Naby Keita (£54m) among his current squad, with Fabinho, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Roberto Firmino all costing well in excess of £30m.
But the biggest irony in what Merson claims comes in the fact that City’s club-record signing remains the summer addition of Rodri, who cost the club £62m from Atletico Madrid to surpass the £60m that City paid for Riyad Mahrez and Joao Cancelo. Despite Merson’s claims, City have never spent “£80m or £90m” on a single player, while as for the Guardiola versus Klopp debate, the Spaniard heavily outweighs the German with eight league title wins two, as well as two Champions League triumphs to one.
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