'We had some terrific battles'
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is relishing the opportunity to lock horns with Aston Villa counterpart Paul Lambert once again on Saturday, and has drawn comparisons between each man's challenges.
The Northern Irishman and the Scot secured promotion to the Barclays Premier League in the same season and enjoyed impressive top-flight campaigns in 2011-12 with Swansea and Norwich respectively.
Now at new clubs, the two will tussle this weekend when Rodgers welcomes Lambert to Anfield - where the Liverpool manager expects a difficult task against an improving young team.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com, the 39-year-old said of Lambert: "You're starting to see the fruits of his labour in the last few weeks. It's a very difficult job to go into.
"He was at Norwich and we had some terrific battles over a couple of years, and we speak reasonably regularly. We shared the same upbringing - coming through the Championship and then strides into the Premier League, where we both want to stay.
"He's done a terrific job. He's trying to recreate and build something there based on hard work and honesty.
"The young players that I've seen come through - like Barry Bannan, Chris Herd and Ciaran Clark, players that have come through the system - he's trying to give them an opportunity and you'll see them get better as the season goes on.
"It's going to be a difficult game. He and I like to have a work-rate and intensity in our teams so that the worst case scenario you get is effort and commitment if you're not quite at your best with the ball.
"They have changed their system over the last few games to 3-5-2 and that seems to have worked well for them. But we're at home and we've got possibilities now in our home games, we've got confidence. We know it will be tight but it's a game we look forward to and hopefully win."
Rodgers also acknowledged the similarities between his task with the Reds and that facing Lambert at Villa Park - with both men basing their philosophy on young players and introducing new methods.
"Paul is a fantastic manager but it takes time. He came in after Alex [McLeish], who had gone there and kept them in the league," the boss added.
"They have moved out players and are reliant on a lot of the younger players - that's not easy. Everyone talks about young players but even top young players can struggle.
"It was always going to take time for him to put his methods across and create the culture that he wanted. Sometimes that can take up to six months when you're trying to build, especially if you don't feel it's there.
"But you're starting to see that the young players are starting to have the ethos that Paul wants. In the second half of the season they'll push on and he'll do very well with them in his time there."
Reverting thoughts back to his own side, Rodgers revealed the minimum requirement he expects from the Liverpool squad - a fundamental request which the manager feels will help in the months to come.
He concluded: "We've shown a lot of signs this year. We might not have always had the results, but it's important that we stay calm.
"I never get too carried away when we win, I never get too despondent when we lose because I know that round the corner is a great opportunity.
"The one thing the supporters will always see whether we win, lose or draw is the players giving 150 per cent - that's the minimum requirement when you pull on the Liverpool shirt.
"It's not a choice whether you work hard or not, it's an obligation. Hopefully we're seeing that work-rate and intensity, together with the tactical idea that we're trying to put in place.
"Hopefully the supporters will see the progress, I certainly see it on a daily basis, and the players are feeling it and getting belief as we move forward. Hopefully that bears fruit for us in the second half of the season."