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There will be some who point out that Jurgen Klopp may have taken Liverpool to the Champions League semi-finals but he’s still won nothing.

And if it stays that way come May, he’ll have gone three seasons without winning a trophy at Anfield, when that was what he was brought in to do.

Because there are still those who see the German as a Keeganesque show-boater who is big on smiles and hugs but no more up to the job of restoring Liverpool’s past glories than predecessor Brendan Rodgers was.

People such as Alan Shearer, who a few months ago said “Liverpool have not improved since the day he took over.”

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They drag out statistics about percentage win rates which do not paint the whole picture.

Stats don’t tell you that Rodgers inherited a peak-reaching Luis Suarez, a maturing Raheem Sterling and a certain Steven Gerrard. Or that Klopp inherited none of those men, just a side that had been on a downward spiral since the sale of Suarez 15 months earlier.

By the time the Americans sent out a distress signal in October 2015, they were tenth in the table having scored a mere 11 goals in the first 11 games across all competitions.

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The truth is, Liverpool are in the best shape they have been since Rafa Benitez came close to winning the title in 2009 — which was also the last time they were fighting for a place in the Champions League semis while almost certain of a top four finish.

The difference being, nine years ago, they went out in the quarter-finals, and domestic competition was less stiff as the billions had yet to take effect at Manchester City and Tottenham were not the force they are now.

The real progress under Klopp is evident when you look at the players he has brought in compared to some of the dire buys that preceded him.

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Of Tuesday’s starting line-up (that finished a 5-1 aggregate demolition of a Manchester City side some say is the best ever constructed in the Premier League era) only Dejan Lovren, Roberto Firmino and James Milner were there before the former Dortmund boss came.

He signed Mo Salah, Andy Robertson, Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Loris Karius, Joel Matip and Gini Wijnaldum — all on a net spend of £4million — and blooded Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Klopp’s real quality is his unshakable belief in his players and in his own vision.

He refused to panic and buy a cheaper version of Van Dijk in August when the deal had fallen through and his shaky defence was screaming out for a leader.

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When he saw Philippe Coutinho no longer wanted to play for him, instead of forcing the Brazilian to stay, as many fans demanded, he showed him the door and pocketed a phenomenal amount of money that he will spend this summer on players who buy into where he wants to take Liverpool.

And such is his aura and passion, there are many who do.

Players like Van Dijk, who shunned offers from Manchester City and Chelsea as he’d set his heart on playing for a man he hailed this week as “the complete manager.”

Klopp has also persuaded Naby Keita to ignore all the overtures from Europe’s top clubs and Oxlade-Chamberlain to leave Arsenal and join him on lower wages.

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Pep Guardiola said before Tuesday that it didn’t really matter what happened on the night as he was convinced he would be winning the Champions League with City some time soon.

Klopp, who is far shrewder than the jovial-giant image he exudes, has said nothing of the sort.

But if he keeps this dramatic progress going, the coach who now has eight wins in 14 against Guardiola, may turn out to be the Spaniard’s nemesis at home and abroad.

Yes, Klopp’s still brought no trophies to Anfield, but who’d bet against that changing soon?

Maybe even as soon as May.