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Jamie Redknapp heaped praise on Jurgen Klopp for making his Liverpool side a force to be reckoned with once more after their disappointing 2022-23 campaign.
The Reds only finished fifth in the Premier League last term, but now sit top of the table and remain in four competitions.
They took a step closer to making the Carabao Cup final by coming from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 in the first leg of their semi-final on Wednesday night, and Redknapp feels the work ethic Klopp has instilled in his players has ensured the team are back to their best after a major squad overhaul last summer.
‘I have to be honest, last year it looked like he’d lost his spark a bit, Klopp,’ Redknapp said on Sky Sports.
‘A lot of players leaving, important players in the squad, Milner, Henderson. But the transition has been seamless. It’s been incredible.
‘The energy they’re playing with, it was such an enjoyable side to watch. One thing you can always guarantee is an incredible amount of honesty. That’s why the connection between him, the fans and the players is so good because they run through brick walls.
‘He’s mastered the art of making multi million pound players run. Not all managers can do that. He does it with ease.
‘Everyone runs, chases and does everything in their power to make sure that they are at their best for this team. And that has to come from the manager. People talk about Klopp’s demands, he is the person that gets the players to run.’
Liverpool are missing some of their best players at the moment, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai injured, while Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo are away at the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup, respectively.
But Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez inspired Liverpool’s comeback on Wednesday, while young defender Conor Bradley also impressed, and Redknapp’s fellow pundit Steve Sidwell believes Klopp must be delighted that he is maximising the potential of his depleted squad as they continue to deal with any setbacks that come their way.
‘He looks as though he’s incredibly proud, especially at the moment,’ Sidwell said when speaking about Klopp’s demeanour.
It’s so easy for managers to have a fully fit squad to pick and choose from. He’s got a depleted squad, injuries, he’s got youngsters coming through and he’s given them a platform and environment to come into and play well.
‘Look at the last two games, tonight and the one before in the cup, hadn’t played great, got the result.
‘There’s no better feeling as a player when that happens and you still come away with a game that you haven’t performed at your absolute optimum because it still builds the momentum.’
Liverpool now have an 11-day break before they travel to Bournemouth, with their return leg against Fulham three days later as they look to book themselves another trip to Wembley.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
