Klopp urges Liverpool to channel Hillsborough emotion

Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool team to honour the victims of Hillsborough by beating his former club Borussia Dortmund at Anfield tonight.

The German manager spent seven years with Dortmund but made it clear, ahead of the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final clash, that his loyalties now lie in Merseyside

He reinforced the message by invoking the Hillsborough tragedy, in which 96 people died, as the two teams prepare to meet again.

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"Although I am still learning about this club, this city and this culture, I am already well-aware of the significance of the events at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989," he says in the programme for tonight's match.

"I am aware of the inspirational impact the victims, their families and the survivors have on the club and the city of Liverpool... Tonight we, as a team, will do our best to honour them and their memory, along with the supporters of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund."

To further outline his commitment to Liverpool, Klopp said it would be a "privilege" to attend Friday's memorial service at Anfield. Commemorations will also see tributes to the victims being paid before tonight's match, reports the Liverpool Echo.

On the field Klopp "has a selection dilemma to solve", says the Daily Mail. The Reds boss left Daniel Sturridge on the bench for the away leg and started with Divock Origi, who repaid his faith by scoring a vital away goal in the 1-1 draw.

But Klopp must now decide whether to keep faith with the player, who also scored twice at the weekend, or show faith in Sturridge.

"Liverpool fans are split on who should get the nod at Anfield on Thursday, with [Roberto] Firmino, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho also fighting for a starting spot," says the paper.

It is Liverpool's biggest game of the season, blogger Jordan Chamberlain tells the Liverpool Echo, but victory could begin a new era.

"We reached a League Cup final under Klopp and beat United over two European legs, but there's a feeling that progression against Dortmund will signal the real start of something special under the German," he says.