Him and Liverpool back onto centre stage

with those demands. “I wouldn’t necessarily say that is down to the Champions League. We lost a few players to injury – Adam Lallana is a big miss and Phil Coutinho has had the odd injury,” he said.

The win in Maribor was a turning point for Milner, who had started just three games up until then.

The former England star was told in pre-season by Klopp that he would be returning to his favoured midfield having spent most of season at left-back.

But he then sat out most of the opening games before he was selected to face Maribor and played a starring role.

“It was very frustrating,” said Milner. “Every player wants to play football and that is what I want to do.

“The manager picks the team and if it’s not happening then you have to try to force role, last your way in. When you do get the chance, you have to try and take it. I’ve played the last three games. Hopefully I’ve staked a claim for that shirt.

“At the start of the season the manager pulled me in and said he was looking at me more for the midfield now, which I was obviously delighted with. Then I didn’t play too much after that.”

Klopp claims he would be satisfied with a 1-0 victory tonight, and expects Maribor to be tougher to break down than they were at home.

And he used a bit of German football history – and philosophy – to get that message across to his players.

West Germany beat Hungary 3-2 to win the 1954 World Cup, having lost 8-3 to them in the group stages, and Klopp has warned Liverpool could suffer the same fate as the Mighty Magyars. He also revealed the German version of the saying: “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

Klopp said: “In Germany we have a saying – you should not split the bear before you’ve shot him.

“I know in 1954 we lost against Hungary in the group stage, then won the World Cup final. Nobody would have expected that. That is how I learned it pretty early in my life. It’s always possible.”