Klopp sets sights on potential cup double

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his injury-hit team will be paying significant respect to the FA Cup this season as they attempt to win a double.

The Reds are in a strong position to reach the League Cup final at Wembley after defeating Stoke City 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium in the first leg of their semi-final tie at the Britannia Stadium on Tuesday.

Liverpool now face League Two side Exeter City in the FA Cup third round on Friday and Klopp has stressed to his players that he is extremely keen to win the competition.

“It is a real big tournament – the Cup is really important in Germany too,” he said.

“We will pay big respect and I spoke to the players before the semi-final to talk about the importance of the competitions.

“The players are really interested in winning the League and FA Cup.

“The team we put out will want to win 100% and go to next round but it will be a team who have not played too often together [because of the injuries].

“It will be a big chance for the boys but there is no pressure because they are still young.”

Klopp hopes to use the success he had in the DFB-Pokal – with Borussia Dortmund making the final in three of the last four seasons – to help Liverpool avoid an FA Cup upset.

“I do not know too much about them, but their pitch is not in the best way from what I have seen,” he said of Exeter.

“They are professionals and do have quality, that is obvious. It is the same in Germany. Everybody wants to play a big team. But with Dortmund, in the last few years, we were in the final.”