The Liverpool manager has reached his first FA Cup semi-final but they were pushed all the way by old foes Nottingham Forest
Rewind more than four decades and, long before Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp became English football’s defining managerial duel, it was Brian Clough against Bob Paisley. If the German, with his Clough-esque charisma, eminent quotability and seeming ability to shape events by force of personality, seems to borrow more from the architect of Nottingham Forest’s success than his most decorated predecessor at Anfield, he has something in common with both.
He has coached teams to glory in the European Cup but never the FA Cup. For a couple more months, anyway. Guardiola still blocks his path. Thomas Tuchel, another Champions League winner, might but Klopp is into the uncharted territory of a first semi-final. It has been a long and winding road, spanning 20 games over six years featuring some 81 players. It took 78 minutes to break down Nottingham Forest. Diogo Jota, who sent Liverpool to Wembley in the Carabao Cup, did likewise in the senior knockout competition.
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