Liverpool bounce back into Premier League action with a home fixture against West Bromwich Albion at Anfield later this afternoon.
Coming off the back of a 0-0 draw away at FC Sion on Thursday evening in the Europa League, fatigue could be an issue but the Kop will demand three points after an unlikely slip-up away at Newcastle United last week.
Since arriving to succeed Brendan Rodgers, Klopp has most certainly lived up to the hype registering two noteworthy away victories at both Chelsea and Manchester City to help catapult the Reds back into conversation regarding the Premier League.
While the Reds are still an outside bet for the big prize, they should seriously be earmarking a place back amongst Europe’s elite with qualification to the Champions League surely in reach.
The most refreshing thing of all is that Klopp seems to have waved his magic wand on several members of Liverpool’s squad who looked jaded performance-wise in the final days of Brendan Rodgers’ reign.
With this in mind, we’ve today devised a five-man list of the most improved Liverpool players this 2015/16 season.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five most improved Liverpool players this 2015/16 season.
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Emre Can
While Emre Can is far from being considered the finished article, his status is improving in a positive direction under the guidance of a fellow German in Klopp.
Deployed in defence for the most part under Rodgers last season, Can is back in his favoured midfield berth under Klopp and is flourishing with his dynamism and surging runs from deep.
Capable of doing a little bit of everything in midfield as a box-to-box player, Kopites want to see Can remain in that position and not at the back where his naivety can cost the Reds as witnessed previously.
However in midfield, his energy alongside the likes of James Milner has proved the bedrock on which victories against the likes of Manchester City have been founded with his tireless running simply overpowering the opposition.
Alberto Moreno
One of Brendan Rodgers’ better signings from the 2014 summer transfer window, Alberto Moreno is starting week in, week out again after an injury cruelly denied Joe Gomez from furthering his promising development earlier this campaign.
With Moreno now getting a regular run back in the side under Klopp, Moreno has gone public regarding how much he’s rates Jurgen Klopp’s training methods and it’s refreshing to see for Liverpool fans.
Signed from Sevilla at the start of last season with a glittering reputation as a fine young full back from La Liga, Moreno will need to remain on an upward curve to get back into the Spanish reckoning ahead of Euro 2016.
He faces a huge task however with Jordi Alba, Juan Bernat, Jose Luis Gaya and Cesar Azpilicueta all vying for that left back berth of course.
Lucas Leiva
Having been at Anfield since way back in 2007 now, Lucas Leiva knows what it takes to succeed at the club, not to mention the expectations placed on both himself and his team-mates.
When Klopp was announced as Liverpool boss, many supporters questioned whether this could be the end of Lucas with moves for the likes of Sven Bender and Ilkay Gundogan mooted by the press.
However, Lucas has flourished under the new regime and has further underline his status as one of the most underrated players in the Premier League.
Never shy of putting his foot in, Lucas has mainly teamed up in a midfield three alongside the energetic duo of Emre Can and James Milner and for the large part, it’s been going swimmingly.
Balancing the team well while allowing the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana to do damage ahead of him, Lucas could well have bought himself far more time at the club.
Jordon Ibe
Starting five times in his last seven Liverpool appearances, this tells you all you need to know about Jurgen Klopp’s affections for Jordon Ibe’s ability.
Having been gently ushered into the Liverpool first team over the last couple of years, Ibe doesn’t seem to need those loan spells away from Anfield anymore with the player ready to battle for the Reds in the here and now.
Always looking lively on the ball, like Can, Ibe is far from the finished article but there is a hugely talented player in the making there.
Competing with the likes of Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino for a regular starting berth of course, Ibe will have his work cut out but if he continues to get in the team, perhaps Roy Hodgson may plump for him as a wildcard option from the bench for England at Euro 2016.
Considering Jesse Lingard got in the Three Lions’ squad last time out after a gentle vein of form, surely a first senior call-up is within reach for Ibe.
Dejan Lovren
His name was mud at Anfield not a long time ago but it’s all change for Dejan Lovren at the moment with the Croatian international nominated for November’s Player of the Month prize.
With ex Reds defender Mark Wright also corroborating the fact that Lovren is the single most improved Liverpool player under Jurgen Klopp, it appears he could have a future on Merseyside after all.
Yes, he made a calamitous mistake that allowed West Ham United to punish the Reds at Anfield earlier this term but the 26-year-old has put in a string of consistent displays since returning to the team in Mamadou Sakho’s absence.
Only time will tell whether Lovren can keep this improved form up for the rest of the campaign but it makes a refreshing change for Liverpool fans to not be tearing their hair out every time he goes near the football!
