For Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho, two individuals whose success arrived as a manager and not a player, that is where the similarities end.
The pair have gone head-to-head 13 times as coaches throughout their respective careers but one meeting in particular represented a new reality for both individuals; a closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Indeed, a first Premier League triumph of Klopp's Reds tenure came at the expense of the ever-controversial coach seven years ago to the day. A solitary Christian Benteke strike and Philippe Coutinho brace provided the ingredients for a day of destruction in the capital.
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Told to turn from 'doubters to believers' upon Klopp's arrival in England, Liverpool supporters were not left waiting long before dreaming of what could be around the corner after putting in a statement performance at Stamford Bridge.
Draws with Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton had preceded this victory but lift-off was achieved in ironic circumstances, defeating a Chelsea side who had seemingly reaching the end of a cycle. The Londoners had won the Premier League title under Mourinho in convincing style the previous season, though found themselves 15th in the table on October 31, 2015 after losing to Liverpool. Haunted on Halloween, there would be further scares on the way for the hosts.
Backed to repeat their title heroics of 2014/15, Chelsea's title defence could not have gone any worse. An infamous row with club physio Eva Carneiro on the opening day of the 2015/16 campaign, which ended in the Gibraltarian being relieved of her duties and a subsequent lengthy legal battle, was perhaps a sign of things to come. Mourinho was already under pressure by the time of Liverpool's visit and was sacked in December after a loss at Leicester left the club one point above the relegation zone. This was a downfall of extreme proportions, overseen by a man who had claimed his third league title just seven months earlier.
Parallels may well be drawn to the current Liverpool side who, although are by no means in a battle to beat the drop, are at present experiencing an unrecognisable drop-off from their quadruple-chasing campaign. Chelsea had kept key players squad from their title-winning squad including Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas but their spark had seemingly faded in a flash. The Londoners ended the season in 10th position, representing a recovery from the opening months but an extreme failure nonetheless.
Liverpool, who kick-started the Klopp era by adding to Chelsea's demise, cannot afford to follow suit seven years down the line. Questions can rightly be asked of FSG's reluctance to continue the evolvement of the squad when determining how the irresistible side of last season are now no match for Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, but the Reds' boss could soon be feeling an element of pressure himself unless the tide turs.
You'd be hard-pressed to find many Liverpool fans who no longer want Klopp at the helm but Mourinho, adored by Chelsea fans, soon discovered how a long-lasting relationship can turn sour in the blink of an eye after failing to halt the club's wretched form. A realisation the Portuguese coach had lost his mojo was certainly not lost on the Liverpool fans inside Stamford Bridge in October 2015, with a rendition of 'You're not special any more' being sung in the away end.
Klopp adopted a more sympathetic stance when pushed to provide his take on Chelsea's season spiralling out of control under Mourinho's stewardship. "I feel for him. He's a great coach. I don't think anyone in this room doubts he's one of the best in the world," said the Reds' boss after earning his first top flight win in England.
He added: "Things like this happen. I had a similar situation at Dortmund last year. The good thing was no-one in the club was in doubt of my situation. I feel for him of course, but it's work. The only thing you can do is hard work. If the people around you trust you, you can change everything."
Such advice shared by the Liverpool boss feels particularly relevant right now as he searches for his own solutions at Anfield. The 55-year-old had more than enough credit in the bank to avoid any talk of dismissal - but faces the unwanted task of rescuing a season that is unravelling before his very eyes.
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