Lovren: Klopp Helped Me Be Worthy of Liverpool

Dejan Lovren did not get off to a good start at Liverpool FC. After a very expensive £20 million move from Southampton, the Croatian defender proceeded to be a first choice Brendan Rodgers favourite week in and week out despite not really playing anything like a first choice managerial favourite. It was a tough time for all.

But then Jürgen Klopp was appointed and literally every life that the German touched was improved. There is no news yet as to whether or not Klopp has managed to cure any incidences of cancer or awaken anyone from a decades-long coma, but his greatest miracle so far might have been to coax a string of good performances out of the unpopular defender, for which Lovren is eternally grateful.

"The fans now have me in a different view," Lovren told Croatian outlet Sportske. "I think that they are now starting to realise that I am worthy, and they regret that they initially had a different opinion.

"But Liverpool is a big club, and expectations are high, so it is normal that you are going to be criticised. I needed someone like Klopp to push me, and to give me support. For such a man, I'm always ready to fight to the end, and for the team and the club."

Presumably the certainty of starting every week under Rodgers wasn't enough of a push, so it's good to see that however Klopp is coaching him differently, it's working. Lovren, like literally everyone else at centre back, is currently out with injury but Klopp will be itching to have him back. If he can keep up the same form he was in prior to his spell on the physio table, Liverpool's centre back woes will be partially assuaged.