Mikel Arteta hails Jurgen Klopp as an 'inspiration' and admits he will 'miss' Liverpool coach after he leaves

The German manager stunned football fans at Merseyside when he revealed he had agreed to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season. However, it seems that it is not only the Reds' faithful who will miss Klopp but also the Arsenal manager who has fought many remarkable battles against his opposite number.

When asked if he would miss Klopp, Arteta said: "Absolutely. I think it’s going to be a big loss. He’s been an inspiration. He’s got a really attractive way of building teams and transforming a club. He will be missed, but for now, he’s here."

Klopp has already got the better of Arteta in 2024 as Liverpool eased to a 2-0 victory over the Gunners in the FA Cup. The Spaniard will be looking to make amends for the earlier defeat on Sunday at Emirates and should be buoyed by the momentum on his side after successive wins against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest in the league.

"We have proven we can beat big teams, we come up against Liverpool now and we’re in a much better place," he said. "We talk about momentum. It’s been two wins and we want to make it three. It’s going to be an incredible atmosphere, we’re gonna need that. I encourage people to play with us every single ball. We’re going to need that."

Klopp has made it clear that his motivation is on the wane, which is why he has decided to leave the club after almost nine years in charge. However, with Liverpool firmly in the race for a potential quadruple, the manager remains eager to give his all before fizzing out at the end of the campaign.