Liverpool News: Man Utd legend Jaap Stam hopes Anfield clash is not friendly

MANCHESTER UNITED legend Jaap Stam has suggested he hopes Saturday’s clash between his former side and Liverpool is not a friendly affair.

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Manchester United go up against Liverpool at Anfield aiming to inflict more misery on Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Reds are stuck in a rut at present, having won just one of their last seven games across all competitions.

Stam knows all about the nature of the rivalry between the two Premier League giants, having spent four years in England at Manchester United between 1998 and 2002.

And the 45-year-old, who is currently in charge of Championship side Reading, says he hopes Saturday’s game is not blighted by friendships between the players on the pitch.

"Nowadays a lot of players are good friends so it might be quite friendly in the tunnel," Stam told Sky Sports News.

"When we played a lot of the time it was quite different. Something happened in the tunnel occasionally over there.

"But it's all about rivalry, the way I look at it when you go into that tunnel there are no friends.

"There are rules but some rules are there to be broken occasionally to do everything to get that result."

Manchester United Liverpool Klopp MourinhoGETTY

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Liverpool News: Man Utd legend Jaap Stam hopes Anfield clash is not friendlyGETTY

Liverpool News: Jaap Stam wants Manchester United and Liverpool not to be too friendly

Liverpool are targeting a first win over their fierce rivals on Merseyside since 2013.

Daniel Sturridge struck the winner on that occasion, inflicting a first defeat on the Red Devils under David Moyes.

In the time since, United have avoided defeat at Anfield.

They won both games between the two teams during Louis van Gaal’s time in charge, and held the Reds to a goalless draw last year. 

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