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Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool they must stop deliveries from wide areas in order to ensure Christian Benteke doesn’t return to haunt them on Sunday.

The Belgian frontman will be back at Anfield for the first time since he joined Crystal Palace in a £32million deal last August.

Benteke’s stay with the Reds proved shortlived - scoring 10 goals and 42 appearances following his £32.5million move from Aston Villa in July 2015.

However, he has got his career back on track in the capital with his 14-goal haul helping fire Palace to the brink of Premier League survival.

Benteke will arrive at Anfield full of confidence and he has netted five times in seven previous outings against Liverpool.

“When the ball is in the air, he is the main threat,” Klopp said.

“We felt it a lot of times here when we trained together. He is in a good run.

“Like it is always when you play against Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) and these kind of strikers – tall, good with their back to the goal – you have to avoid the crosses and you have to avoid the passes. That’s how it works.

“If we let them cross 50 balls it’s pretty likely Christian will have a few dangerous headers. That’s not his only strength, of course, but that’s a real strength.

“You have to avoid passes in this area, but it’s not only for him. If you are only concentrated on Christian then (Wilfried) Zaha and (Andros) Townsend are around you.

“That’s really one of the best offensive lines in the Premier League. Then they have all the experience and size in their backline. We respect this. We know how to play against it, but nevertheless we have to show it.”

Klopp believes Palace will though he weakened by the absence of on-loan defender Mamadou Sakho, who isn’t eligible to feature against his parent club.

The French centre-back has been key to their climb away from the drop zone with his seven appearances yielding five wins, one draw and one defeat.

“Mama is a very good defender, especially when you really defend deep as Crystal Palace are doing often,” Klopp added.

“He’s a strong boy - good tackles, good blocks. Having a player like him in the team is really good. In the build up he is a cool guy.

“Having him not involved of course is not the best news for Crystal Palace, but that’s how it is.”

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Klopp will be hoping that Divock Origi can exploit Sakho’s absence from Palace’s backline. The Reds boss was delighted with the young Belgian striker’s much improved performance against West Brom last weekend.

“It’s this moment when he really can build on the last game,” he added.

“It’s not that I have to give him 20 new advices or information or whatever, so now you can let him run.

“It was not a spectacular game if you want, but he had these moments when he kept the ball for us really physically and against the defensive line of West Brom that’s really difficult. He really helped us.

"That’s what I thought was a really big step for him. He’s obviously in a good way.”