ONE KLOPP YEAR HAS ON, BROUGHT THE GOOD TIMES BACK TO LIVERPOOL

One year on, Klopp has brought the good times back to Liverpool

LONDON: With apologies to Paul McCartney and Sergeant Pepper, it was 12 months ago today, Juergen Klopp (pic) taught his band to play.

And what a ride it has been under the German at Anfield. From mid-table nothingness to title challengers – and their tag as “Great Entertainers” well and truly restored.

It is has been exactly one year since Klopp made his official bow as Liverpool chief, at a press gathering which brought media flooding from all over the world.

He could claim to be the “Normal One” as much as he liked – but no-one inside the Reds Suite at the Centenary Stand was buying that.

From the reaction of the supporters the second he was announced as Brendan Rodgers’ replacement, there wasn’t a Kopite in the land who was either.

Yes, there were times in that debut season when some were questioning whether Klopp was indeed going to be the Messiah they craved.

For every jaw-dropping destruction of a Manchester City or Chelsea there was a rollover against a Watford or Southampton.

For every Europa League glory night against Manchester United or Borussia Dortmund, there was a foul-up against Crystal Palace or Newcastle.

But this season something has changed. Something seismic. Both in the performances and the attitude.

Their win at Swansea was proof of that. Trailing at half-time, playing poorly, this was the type of game that Liverpool would have lost a year ago.

Instead they stuck at it, and ultimately ground out a late win – the sort of win you associate with champion sides.

Much has been made of Klopp’s desire for a pressing game, and if one thing is guaranteed to get his back up, that’s it.

Yes, he wants the ball won back as quickly as possible, but to suggest the Reds are simply a counter-attacking outfit, preying on mistakes is way out of line.

Ask Klopp and he will roll his eyes, bite his lip, and explain that regaining possession is only the start.

He will tell you it’s a case of what you do with the ball when you’ve got it back which counts. That’s when the hard work starts, not finishes.

Of course it was always going to take time for players to adapt to the new manager’s demands, but the penny has definitely dropped now.

The likes of Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson have taken their game to levels Kopites doubted they would ever reach.

Even established stars like Philippe Coutinho and old heads like James Milner have gone up a peg or two.

And the new faces – some of whom raised plenty of eyebrows – such as Sadio Mane, Ragnar Klavan and youngsters like Marko Grujic, have slotted straight in.

Most importantly, though, there is a spirit, a unity, a togetherness around the whole club which is reaping an ever-increasing reward.

They are playing for each other, for their mates, for their manager and – most crucially of all – they make no effort to hide how much they are enjoying it.

Just witness the scenes on the touchline after virtually every goal they score. Manager, players, support staff all hugging like a 90s night in the Hacienda.

No gaffer is at one with his players as much as Klopp, no team seems quite as tight knit, and few – as is becoming increasingly obvious – are better.

Whether it takes them all the way to a first ever English Premier League crown remains to be seen.

Yet one thing is already blindingly obvious – it’s going to take a good one to finish above them. — The Sun, London