LONDON — When a young fan of English soccer club Manchester United wrote to the manager of their bitter rivals Liverpool Football Club asking him to “please make them lose,” it is unlikely that he expected a personal reply.
But Daragh Curley, 10, did receive a response from Jurgen Klopp, although the Champions League-winning manager said he was unable to grant his request.
Curley, from County Donegal in Ireland, sent his letter as part of a school project.
"Liverpool are winning too many games,” he wrote. “If you win nine more games then you have the best unbeaten run in English football. Being a United fan that is very sad.
"So the next time Liverpool play, please make them lose. You should just let the other team score. I hope I have convinced you to not win the league or any other match ever again."
Once serial winners, Manchester United’s form has dipped in the English Premier League (EPL) in recent seasons and the club currently sit at seventh in table.
Liverpool meanwhile, are World Club Champions and last season they also won the Champions League, Europe’s biggest club competition. They are currently 22 points ahead of their nearest rivals Manchester City in the EPL.
Klopp however, said he would not be able to grant Curley’s request.
"As much as you want Liverpool to lose it is my job to do everything that I can to help Liverpool to win as there are millions of people around the world who want that to happen, so I really do not want to let them down,” the German manager wrote.
"Luckily for you, we have lost games in the past and we will lose games in the future because that is football."
Klopp confirmed he had sent the letter at a press conference Friday.
“It was nice,” he said. “It was cheeky… and it was smart as well. I thought it was a good idea. Try it. Why not,” he said.
Manchester United meanwhile, said the club was "proud" to have fans like Curley and invited him to attend a game at their Old Trafford stadium for his first game.