Jason McAteer believes Jurgen Klopp can transform Liverpool

The dramatic win over Borussia Dortmund a couple of weeks ago can be the defining moment in Liverpool’s season, according to the club’s former midfielder Jason McAteer.

And McAteer, who was speaking this week at the launch of SSE Airtricity's 'PowerOfGreen' campaign (see sseairtricity.com), believes Jürgen Klopp can guide his side to victory again against Villarreal en route to Europa League success.

“There are amazing games like that,” said the former Republic of Ireland international.

“The Germany game here was one. The unity and confidence – things that had drifted away from Trap – that comes from those nights does help to produce results.

“That game at Anfield, we came back and won, that is such an amazing feeling, you want to do it again. You see Klopp, he is ever so animated when we win. He hugs the players, he pats them on the back, he takes it into the dressing-room. Winning is like no other feeling and he wants the players to savour that. It is like a drug. The euphoria is amazing. You want to do it again. You want the feeling back.”

McAteer, who spent four years at Liverpool, the club he grew up supporting, is hugely impressed with the impact Klopp has made, insisting that the players are starting to feel the benefit now of the demands he placed upon them when he arrived.

Transform the side

They head into this evening’s Europa League semi-final first leg having lost just once in their last 18 outings and the 44-year-old reckons that if Klopp can guide the club to the Champions League by winning this competition then spend to strengthen the team, it could transform the side.

“I think Liverpool and Tottenham are playing the best football in the division over the last four games.

“I think Liverpool are a completely different outfit from when he took over. And if Champions League football is brought to the club through the Europa League then I think that puts you in a different ball game for players to come in.”