Lovren: Jürgen gave me the push I needed

The No.6 endured a mixed start to his Reds career after a move from Southampton in the summer of 2014, struggling to regularly show the sort of form that initially earned him his switch to Anfield.

But he has been much improved so far this term, earning a reputation as a reliable performer when fit to feature in Klopp's central defensive pairing.

And the 26-year-old is glad to finally be able to show the qualities he knew he possessed all along.

"What I touched last year was the bottom," he told the Daily Express. "I could not go any deeper.

"But I was never worried it would not happen for me here. I know my qualities. I like to keep fighting in the bad moments and I will never say I am done.

"I never love to judge someone's real worth too early.

"If, for two years, someone was always [playing poorly] then I would say go. You are out of here. But if you are a good player, you always will be.

"I will not say Jürgen gave me the confidence, but he gave me like the push: 'Hey, you are a good player and here is your chance. Take it.'

"I took it. I am here still."

Lovren believes Klopp's own experiences featuring in defence throughout his playing career mean he knows exactly the right things to say to a fellow centre-half.

The Croatia international also expects the entire team to be better next year after spending a pre-season period with the boss.

"He reminds me, 'I was a defender. I know what it is about.' He knows how a defender thinks," he added.

"The small details are what makes you a top defender and sometimes he gives simple advice: 'If you need to kick the ball out, kick it out.'

"I know I can prove myself and I can be better. This is not my best. I need time still. I need to go to 'school' still. I have not [got] the experience of a 31-year-old player. With this manager I can improve and just become a better player. I am trying.

"I am shouting on the pitch like I have been here 10 years and I think people respect me because they know I am working hard. I am shouting to him, he is shouting to me. It is the most important thing to respect each other on the pitch.

"We are like a family. To be honest, I was always happy to be here from the first day, but sometimes it goes well, sometimes not. Sometimes you need time.

"It depends on people who manage you well. In the time since Jürgen has come, things have changed a lot.

"I changed also because I really like his work. This pressing and, I would say, the need to be always 100 per cent ready for the fight in the training and in matches.

"I spent my first seven years growing up in Germany and maybe I have a bit of that mentality.

"Next season we will definitely have a better season. Jürgen needs his time to know the players. We need to get to know him and in the last couple of months we didn't have much luck with injuries.

"If we had all the players available – no problems. He reached a final of the Champions League, won the Bundesliga two times. It is not a small thing. He is a big name.

"I want to work with Jürgen [and] to see the pre-season with him. It will be something different."

Of course, Lovren's first priority is a Europa League last-16 second-leg clash with Manchester United this evening.

The defender believes his teammates' impressive efforts in the first leg should act as a blueprint for Klopp's side, not just at Old Trafford but much further into the future.

"It felt like a moment," he continued. "I don't know if it was just because it was Manchester United, but we need to play like this against every opponent and then the crowd will see and it will [snowball].

"We need to see in every game the passion and fight and winning football. We need to finish well. We have a big chance to be where we want to be."