Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool supporters to welcome Adam Lallana back to Anfield with open arms as his side host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.
Lallana, 33, returns to Merseyside on Saturday afternoon having spent six years with the Reds between 2014 and 2020.
During that time, the gifted midfielder made 178 appearances, winning the Premier League and Champions League before joining the Seagulls on a free transfer.
Though he struggled with injuries during the second half of his time with the club, Lallana was held in high regard by Klopp and Liverpool fans alike.
The German manager went out of his way to pay tribute to his former player ahead of the clash with Brighton, calling on fans to give Lallana a warm welcome.
What is your favourite memory of Adam Lallana in a Liverpool shirt? Have your say in the comments.
"I cannot speak about our visitors without mentioning a crucial player within their ranks for whom we still have great affection," Klopp wrote in the matchday programme.
"Adam Lallana is our opponent today and we his. We want to beat him with all we have and he will feel the same about us.
"So when the whistle goes our friendship and shared experiences are placed on pause. We all know this.
"But I hope either side of the game there will be an opportunity for us all to show appreciation to Adam for his contribution.
"He came back here last season when our ground was empty. Therefore today is the first real opportunity for our supporters to acknowledge him.
"Again, our fans are smart enough to know while the game is on he is a pivotal player for an opposition trying to take the points.
"Adam is one of the founding fathers of the success this current Liverpool side has enjoyed in recent seasons. I personally will forever be grateful for what he did when with us. It looks like now he does something similar for Brighton that he did for us.
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"I wish him nothing but good luck for every game when he doesn't face Liverpool."
Lallana came off the bench as Brighton beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in February, with the game played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In contrast, the Reds' stadium will be packed to the rafters for an intriguing top-flight encounter which pits Klopp's side against Graham Potter's high-flying Seagulls.
Lallana was named in the starting XI for the visitors, meaning he has featured in all of Brighton's Premier League games this season.
