Virgil van Dijk has likened Jurgen Klopp to Ronald Koeman in the way both managers get the best out of the world's most expensive defender.
The £75million centre-back has been a revelation since moving to Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 and is a favourite to land the Ballon d'Or award in Paris next month.
Van Dijk was an integral part of the Reds side that won the Champions League under Klopp last term, while he also starred for Koeman's Netherlands as they were beaten finalists in the UEFA Nations League in June.
Liverpool 's No.4 also captained his national side to qualification to next summer's European championship after a goalless draw in Northern Ireland on Saturday night.
It was Koeman who initially coached Van Dijk when he arrived at Southampton from Celtic in the summer of 2015 and the former Everton manager is now the Liverpool star's national boss with Oranje.
Van Dijk says both Klopp and Koeman are similar in the way they are able to coax out his consistent form at the heart of the defence, admitting the two managers prefer to be critical in their respective appraisals.
And the Dutch captain believes that way of operating is the ideal route to bring the best performances out of a player many regard as the world's finest defender.
Van Dijk said: "I have a very similar connection with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool as I had earlier with Ronald Koeman at Southampton.
"Like Koeman, Klopp knows exactly how to get the best out of me - by being critical.
"When the media are hyping me and being very positive, he will downplay the praise and all that, often with a wink.
"And when I was voted UEFA Player of the Year (in August) and had to go to the ceremony, Jurgen told all the lads that I was picking up the trophy on behalf of the entire team.
"All the boys in the squad know I can take that sort of stuff very well. I know what he means. At the same time, the boss gives me a lot of respect and responsibility."
Van Dijk is one of the seven Liverpool players on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, but it is the 28-year-old who perhaps has the most realistic chance of Anfield's stars on December 2.
Luka Modric is the only player to have broken the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi duopoly of the last 10 years, but Van Dijk is a big favourite with many bookmakers to outlast the five-time winners of football's most prestigious individual honour.
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