Klopp praises Liverpool predecessor Rodgers' work

Since Brendan Rodgers was sacked as Liverpool manager in October, he hasn't received the best references from those who worked with him at Anfield.

Defender Mamadou Sakho said he felt like a "caged lion" under the Ulsterman's tutelage, while Reds misfit Lazar Markovic didn't have the most glowing assessment of his own relationship with the manager.

It is instead Jurgen Klopp, the man who took over Rodgers' office, who's more likely to have his contact details at the bottom of his predecessor's CV.

"What I said at the beginning is that you have to turn the small screws, and that's what we're doing at the moment," he told reporters. "Brendan did a really good job and there's a good base here because of Brendan's work."

Klopp drew his first three games in charge of the Merseyside outfit, but won the next three against Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Rubin Kazan.

"I didn't have to teach the players how to play football. Brendan's work had done that," he insisted.

What Klopp has tried to do is rid Liverpool of the apprehension that seemed to creep into the squad's game - something Rodgers acknowledged during his reign - including their shot-shy ways.

"A little bit of stability is very important for offensive play. You feel free when you know that not every chance for the opponent is going to be a goal."

Klopp praised his players for their change in mentality after the 1-1 home draw to Southampton on Oct. 25.

"When you see problems, you don't always have to put your finger in and say it. But if it's a big problem, you have to find the solution. The reaction to that came from the players. They did it in the next game. That's the talent of the players. They did it at Chelsea and that helped us a lot."

The Reds welcome Crystal Palace to Anfield on Sunday, with the clubs just one point apart in ninth and 10th.