The Champions League round of 16 draw will take place in Nyon on Monday, with Liverpool amongst the favourites in Pot 1 alongside other English sides Manchester City and Chelsea.
As a consequence of how the group stage materialised, the Reds have a higher probability of drawing certain opponents over others, with Borussia Monchengladbach deemed to be the most likely to visit Anfield in the coming months.
According to the numbers, there is roughly an 18.5% chance that Liverpool will be drawn to face the German outfit, and Jurgen Klopp will look forward to such an event for one specific reason.
The coach of Monchengladbach is Marco Rose, who is considered by many as a Klopp disciple of sorts after working under him as a player many years ago at Mainz.
Rose showcased managerial success in Austria with RB Salzburg - winning the Austrian league and reaching the Europa League semi-finals - before transferring to Germany in the summer of 2019, and he's improved his new team since having progressed from arguably the toughest group of this year's competition which comprised of Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Klopp signed Rose as a player in 2002, and the Liverpool boss clearly made an impression on the 44 year-old at the time as he's evolved into a leader roughly in the mould of Klopp himself in many ways.
Rose has talked about his approach to management in the past, stating: “There is a certain natural authority that you have as a coach. But you also develop authority over competences that you radiate. You have to have more than a little idea of what you are doing - without expertise, authority is just a facade.
"Kloppo shaped all of us. We picked up a few things in terms of football, but above all it was the way he was with people. Maybe there are a few parallels with Jürgen, but I've also found my own style."
The Gladbach boss has a strong appreciation for the humanastic side of the game and - like Klopp - is willing to lead by empowering those around him to adopt a growth mindset and be better.
"It is wise that you rely on the specialists you have around you," he said. "I am fortunate enough to have an outstanding team from assistant coaches to teammates, everyone likes to do their job with the utmost dedication. Therefore, I fully trust each individual."
Rose's style of football is modern and assertive, with Klopp previously talking about his former player's credentials as a manager, stating: "Marco can have any job and could do any job too. He is really the most hyped of all [coaches] at the moment."
With Klopp's contract at Anfield due to expire in 2024, it's difficult to ascertain where Rose will be by that stage of his career but based on his leadership methods, his brand of football and the success that he's delivered so far, it is possible that he is the club's successor lying in wait.
He hasn't yet hit the heights in Germany that Klopp did at Borussia Dortmund, but with another four years on his side before Liverpool consider a change in the managerial department, Rose could prove to be the man to offer a degree of continuity and build upon Klopp's Anfield legacy.
