Klopp jokes about number of players he will deploy to mark Eden Hazard during Sunday encounter against Chelsea

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp joked he needs 13 players on the pitch with two solely marking Eden Hazard to stop the Belgian from shining at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds face a serious test in their bid for a first league title in 29 years with Chelsea needing a win to strengthen their case for a top four finish.

Hazard is a man in form, dazzling in a recent win over West Ham at Stamford Bridge, and having netted a stunner at Anfield earlier this season to knock Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup, Klopp is well aware of the difficulties in stopping him.

When asked by reporters if he had devised a specific plan solely on Hazard, the former Borussia Dortmund coach laughed, before joking he was going to make it 13 against 11, reports the Daily Mail.

‘We take 13 players this time and two play only against Eden,’ Klopp said.

‘The best way to try and make sure he cannot play as he is able to is to avoid passes to him, that’s how it is. We must react better than other teams did – I would never say it is easy.

‘You need to try and read the game, read the passes but in the end in a one-on-one situation you cannot defend him. I like footballers like this so if he plays his best game we have to live with that.’