Friday 14 April 2017 14:51, UK
Tony Pulis has claimed there is no issue between himself and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp ahead of West Brom's clash with the Reds at The Hawthorns on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
Following Liverpool's 2-2 draw with West Brom at Anfield in December 2015, Klopp led his players to The Kop end to celebrate with Reds fans, something Pulis was distinctly unimpressed with at the time. Klopp responded by criticising Pulis' tactics at West Brom, to which the former Stoke boss came back sarcastically apologising.
The frosty relationship continued into this season when Pulis bemoaned the fact foreign coaches received praise ahead of the likes of him and Burnley boss Sean Dyche, using Klopp as an example.
However, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Pulis said: "There'll be no problems with myself or Klopp.
"He's a competitive man and wants his team to win. There's no problems this end.
"They're [Liverpool] in the mix fighting for those four spots. They've picked up injuries like everybody else, it doesn't flow on the same level all the time, you have your ups and downs in the season.
"You have to accept that you'll win some games and play well and lose games and play badly, or you could play well and still lose games, that's the ebb and flow of professional football and that's what everybody has to put up with."
Pulis has never lost to Liverpool in the Premier League when playing the Reds at home, dating back to the 2008/09, a run which has included Crystal Palace's dramatic 3-3 draw at Selhurst Park.
"I was hoping you'd not bring that up!" Pulis replied in response to being reminded of his home record against Liverpool.
"Let's hope that continues this weekend as well. The most important thing is to get the team organised and well set up and they go out and enjoy it, and enjoy the challenge.
"I think if you have a look in comparison with Arsenal, I've always done very well against Arsenal as well."
The Baggies sit eighth in the Premier League table on 44 points, but Pulis has warned the club must make inroads in the summer transfer market.
"We're off [next weekend as Manchester City play in the FA Cup semi-final], so every member of staff is watching games," Pulis added.
"We are planning already for next year. We're trying to put things in place. We don't want to be behind the game. We want to target players as early as we can before the mad season starts.
"It's difficult getting them in the door early because you have to negotiate deals and prices, and everything else, but we'll do our best. The most important thing is to target the ones we want, go out and be clever in what we do and how we do it.
"We haven't got the finances other clubs have. We need the players in and that's the bottom line. We need to bring a few in."
