There’s a reason why Liverpool have been such a force in and outside of English football since Jurgen Klopp took the reins at Anfield in 2015.
Under Klopp, Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for a top-flight league title in 2020, one year after winning the Champions League for a sixth time.
Domestically and continentally, the Reds have been one hell of an outfit in recent years.
And one of the secrets behind the success is the sense of unity and togetherness that the German manager is capable of implementing.
Klopp achieves this by excellent man-management, by loving every single one of his players and, in return, they exhaust themselves on the pitch for him.
An example of the community Klopp has built within this generation of Liverpool players came at the training complex on Tuesday afternoon.
Harvey Elliott returned to full training for the first time since dislocating his ankle versus Leeds United in September, 129 days ago.
And the Merseyside club’s photographer snapped the moment Klopp saw the 18-year-old return, with the former Borussia Dortmund manhandling the diminutive midfielder, lifting him off the ground in a bear hug which summed up Klopp.
Affection
That’s the sort of affection which will want to make Elliott start delivering for his manager again as soon as he’s physically able.
Remember, despite being 18, the former Fulham prospect was a first-team player for Liverpool at the time of his injury.
He came back from his loan at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship and had been looking every inch the prodigy he was billed as being these past few years.
And with Thiago Alcantara sidelined again, Elliott’s return comes at an ideal time for the Reds, what with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain now injured again, too.
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