Jurgen Klopp will make Liverpool games special, says Phil Thompson

Jurgen Klopp will make every Liverpool game a special occasion, according to Sky Sports pundit and former Reds assistant manager Phil Thompson.

Klopp was confirmed as the new Liverpool manager on Thursday evening.

The German has been one of Europe's most wanted managers in the past five months after his departure from Borussia Dortmund, where he won the Bundesliga twice and reached the Champions League final during a seven-year spell.

Thompson told Sky Sports News HQ: "There's a long way to go in this season and with Klopp coming in, he will ignite the Liverpool fans. He will make every game special. 

"We've seen him on the touchline with the Dortmund fans in that end of theirs which is like the Kop. His welcome will be exactly the same from the Liverpool fans away at Tottenham and then the European game at home [to Rubin Kazan] will be electric.

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"I think there's always a chance for Liverpool to finish in a Champions league slot just looking at the quality of the league at the moment. 

"Before the derby game, Liverpool were just five points off the top of the league. We are just three points off a Champions League spot and we haven't played particularly well this year. 

"If he can instill a lot of confidence into these players and the belief they can do it, there's still a chance."

The club's American owners, Fenway Sports Group, have acted swiftly after sacking Brendan Rodgers on Sunday following the 1-1 draw at Everton.

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Sky sources understand contact was first made with Klopp, and former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, on Monday and with the Italian soon ruling himself, it accelerated the pursuit of the German.

But Thompson suggests Liverpool would have lined the 48-year-old up before the Everton draw on Sunday.

He said: "I would imagine this has been done two weeks prior to the derby game. I don't think it's a shock that since the derby game there have not been any other names thrown into the hat.

"With respect to Brendan Rodgers, they've left it until a week after the derby to announce it and I think it's the right thing. It's what football clubs do. 

"If they are unsure of the manager, they make sure they've got somebody in place. And this guy is top notch. A lot of other teams would be loving this guy. 

"In Brendan Rodgers, we had a young upcoming manager. This one is the finished article with pedigree."