Liverpool boss Klopp 'excited' by return of standing at Anfield

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said Friday he was “excited” by the prospect of fans being allowed to stand during Premier League games after a safe-standing trial was announced.

Standing at stadiums in English football’s top two divisions has been banned since 1994 after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which led to the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans.

But the Sports Grounds Safety Authority this week set out plans to trial safe-standing at Premier League and Championship matches from January 1.

“It’s a good moment to start thinking about how can we get back to where we were,” Klopp said before Liverpool’s Premier League meeting with newly promoted Brentford on Saturday.

“I like the idea. I’m really excited about how much better the atmosphere could be at Anfield.

“I’d be really surprised if it could be even better, but I hope for that.”

It is understood Liverpool will not apply to take part in the pilot, because they are already running their own trial with temporary rail seating in two areas of Anfield.

The atmosphere at Klopp’s former club Borussia Dortmund is boosted by the German club’s “Yellow Wall” standing area.

“Football is about atmosphere,” said Klopp. “The more people in the stadium, the better the atmosphere is.

“I’m sure people are responsible enough to do it the right way. The stadiums are completely different, the construction is different.”

Liverpool’s Anfield Road Stand is being expanded for the 2023/24 season, with 7,000 more seats added to take the overall stadium capacity above 61,000. 

Liverpool, second in the Premier League with four wins from five games, will be without midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita for the trip to Brentford after they picked up injuries.