Jose Mourinho has claimed it is “beautiful to play at Anfield” and wishes his Manchester United side could play in such a cauldron every week – because it inspires rather than inhibits big players.

The United manager also reacted to questions asking if he would be bolder than on his last visit to Anfield, which ended in a drab goalless draw, by joking that he planned to play nine strikers and just one defender against Liverpool.

“You know this is quite funny for me because I think when people speak about big atmospheres, it looks like we don’t like it, it looks like it’s a problem for us to go to a certain place and to face a big atmosphere but this is what we want,” Mourinho said of the hostile reaction that is likely to await his team Saturday lunchtime.

“I am surprised that you speak about that in a negative way and I am even more surprised when I hear big, former players speak about atmospheres like they are something sinister, something that worries us.

“It motivates us, it is something that we want, it is something that if we could have every match we would have every match.