Former RB Leipzig manager Ralf Ragnick has claimed Jordan Henderson and James Milner were "totally average" players before Jurgen Klopp took over Liverpool.
Henderson has been at Anfield since 2011 and became captain in the summer of 2015 after Steven Gerrard left.
Meanwhile, Milner joined Liverpool in the summer of 2015 on a free transfer as a two-time Premier League winner.
Klopp arrived to manage the Reds in October 2015 and has since commanded his side to become one of the best in Europe, overseeing a Champions League win while also putting Liverpool in an incredibly strong position in the domestic competition.
Speaking to German news outlet Frankfurter Allgemeine , Rangnick said it was Klopp who deserves the plaudits for the success at Liverpool so far thanks to him improving a whole host of players including Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino alongside Milner and Henderson.
“If you look at Jordan Henderson or James Milner before Klopp they were totally average,” Ragnick said.
“The fact that they have now become such players is entirely up to their manager.
“Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were, until three or four years ago, everything other than typical pressing strikers.
“They just wanted to have the ball and play with it. The fact that they have grown together at Liverpool is all down to Jurgen Klopp.”
Next up for Liverpool is an away trip to Sheffield United in the Premier League.
They then face a Champions League match against RB Salzburg at Anfield on Wednesday.
