The impact Jurgen Klopp has had at Liverpool cannot be underestimated.
Arriving at the club in October 2015 following the dismissal of Brendan Rodgers, the German took over a Reds side that had finished sixth in the Premier League the previous season and were a considerable distance away from being title challengers. A 1-1 draw away to Everton proved to be Rodgers' final game in charge of the team, leaving Liverpool on the lookout for a new manager.
Carlo Ancelotti and Klopp were listed as two of the frontrunners following FSG's decision to cut ties with a coach that had come agonisingly close to delivering a long-awaited top-flight title during the 2013/14 season, in what would prove to be a pivotal moment in the club's history.
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Klopp has proven to be the perfect fit at Anfield since his appointment nearly seven years ago and recently extended his stay on Merseyside until 2026, having collected a total of five major trophies during his reign. With a further three trophies still up for grabs this campaign, there's every chance this tally could be added to.
This is a success story not everyone could have foreseen, though Jamie Carragher was convinced the former Borussia Dortmund boss would be an ideal fit when discussing Rodgers' possible successor just hours after his sacking was confirmed by Liverpool.
Explaining why he was in favour of the 54-year-old ahead of Ancelotti, the Reds legend told Sky Sports back in 2015: "If either of those came to Liverpool, I think the supporters would be ecstatic. Carlo Ancelotti, Champions League winner three times, and they know what Klopp did at Borussia Dortmund. We've all been excited by them over the last few years."
"If it was me, I would go for Klopp ahead of Ancelotti," continued Carragher. "I think he has more to prove. Liverpool is not an easy job, Ancelotti is a great manager and has gone to clubs where you're expected to win trophies.
"It is a difficult job now at Liverpool, getting back into the top four. Forget talking about the title. I think it needs someone with that energy and drive to get Liverpool back to where it wants to be, and I think Jurgen Klopp is that man."
Echoing the views of Carragher, Graeme Souness added: "When you think of it logically, Ancelotti's last three jobs were Chelsea, PSG and Real Madrid. They can go out and buy the very best players that are out there in the world. Klopp might be a better fit. At Dortmund, they continually lost their best players at the end of each season so he may be a better fit for coming in and working with younger players."
