Roy Keane has claimed that Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool should be focusing on reaching a second Wembley final this season via progression in the FA Cup.
The Reds secured a 3-1 victory against Cardiff on Sunday to advance to the fifth round of this year’s competition.
Diogo Jota, Takumi Minamino and a returning Harvey Elliott got on the scoresheet as Liverpool booked a home tie against fellow Premier League side Norwich.
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Remarkably, round five is the joint-furthest that Liverpool have ever progressed in the FA Cup under Jurgen Klopp. The German has been unable to take the club into the elusive sixth stage of the tournament despite six previous attempts.
On the one other occasion Liverpool made it into the fifth round, their cup campaign came crashing to a halt after a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in 2020.
The German has had significant success in the Premier League and the Champions League. But one of the trophies that has eluded him during his time in England is the FA Cup.
Roy Keane sends message to Jurgen Klopp
The FA Cup used to capture the imagination of sports enthusiasts up and down the country. England used to stand still on the day of the final as two teams collided for the greatest honour in British football.
But the FA Cup seems to have lost some of the magic it once had in the eyes of some supporters.
But Roy Keane still believes in the importance of the competition. He has told Klopp that he has to put his all into reaching the final this season and potentially win the trophy that Liverpool haven’t lifted since 2006.
Speaking before the Cardiff clash in his role as a pundit for ITV Sport, the 50-year-old asserted: “The squad is a lot stronger than what it was a few years ago where he obviously made changes for cup matches.
“His priorities now coming here was to win that league title. The fans have waited so long. The squad wasn’t strong enough, and there were some tough times.
“He’s been at the club a few years now, and obviously, the fans are delighted he got them over the line with the league title and Champions League. But they want a trip to Wembley. They’ve got one with the League Cup, and they’ll want more of that.
“Jurgen Klopp has got an ideal situation; he’s got these lads constantly under pressure because when you play for a big club, you have new lads coming in who will want to challenge you for your place, and that’s the aim of the game – challenges from within.
“They get decent money for the lads they move on as well, which is a huge part of the business. But the strength in depth Liverpool have got now, it’s fantastic. They’ve got to the League Cup final. You’d expect them to win today. And the Champions League – they’ve got great options.”
Liverpool take stride towards another Wembley appearance
The journey towards Wembley continues for Liverpool against Norwich City at Anfield on March 2. As Keane points out, they have already booked one trip to the famous stadium this season. They face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on February 27
Klopp has achieved almost everything there is to win in England. But adding the FA Cup to his already remarkable resume would surely further cement his legacy in English football.
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