Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool boss at Anfield for two years – but are Reds better?

Klopp’s Liverpool, when they get it right, can be an irresistible attacking force. But two years on they are still plagued by many of the inconsistencies that were in place when he arrived.

The defence is still an obvious Achilles heel. There remains uncertainty around the goalkeeping position contested by Simon Mignolet and Klopp’s own signing Loris Karius. And potentially landmark results against clubs they would regard as rivals are offset by disappointments against those lower down the Premier League scale.

The manager’s current win ratio of 50.67% from his first 75 league games – with 38 wins, 22 draws and 15 losses – is actually less than his predecessor Rodgers, who had a 54.67% rate from the same number of games, including 41 wins, 19 draws and 15 defeats.

Rafael Benitez had exactly the same 54.67% ratio as Rodgers from 75 games, while Gerard Houllier’s percentage was lower at 48% once he took sole charge from Roy Evans in November 1998.

Kenny Dalglish had a 42.86% ratio from 56 Premier League games as Liverpool manager while Roy Hodgson ranked at only 35% from 20 games.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby told BBC Sport he regards Klopp’s reign so far as “a qualified success”, but has seen areas of real improvement.

The Dane, who won a league and FA Cup double with the Reds in 1986, said: “I wouldn’t say it has been a resounding success – but when it’s good it’s very, very good.

“When that is the case you get away with it a little bit because, after all, it is what people want to see. Liverpool’s pressing game, when it works, is very, very impressive.

“No-one should kid themselves – that takes hours and hours on the training ground because players have to make decisions. Pressing is very difficult and he has improved that.

“The free-flowing football is also great when it works. He has introduced a whole new concept of how you can play. I’m talking about players like Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.

“It makes Liverpool, when they are at their best, almost impossible to play against.”

Molby added: “Klopp has had a really positive impact. People are generally impressed with the work he has done and I think they are 100% behind him – because history tells you when he gets it right, like he did at Dortmund, the ride he took them on was incredible.

“Liverpool fans know that is a possibility. Everybody is praying it is just a matter of time. People can see that there are things happening. There are things not happening but not everything can be put in place overnight.”