GETTY Dejan Lovren feels he has benefited from the arrival of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool

“What I touched last year was the bottom,” said the Liverpool defender. “I could not go any deeper. “But I was never worried it would not happen for me here. I know my qualities. I like to keep fighting in the bad moments and I will never say I am done.” There have been times recently that Lovren has looked every bit the player Liverpool thought they were signing a little over 18 months ago. When Manchester United look to overturn a yawning 2-0 deficit tonight they will not dismiss Lovren as a weak link, but remember from last Thursday the leader, organiser and, first and foremost, the defender who sensed danger. A smile creases across the centre-back’s face where a frown once framed his features. He says he is the same player before putting forward two arguments for the turnaround. One is the arrival of Jurgen Klopp. And the other? Confidence.

Liverpool stars enjoy evening at Jungle Fun Tue, March 15, 2016 Some Liverpool stars were spotted enjoying an evening at 'Jungle Fun' Play slideshow iCelebTV.com 1 of 14 Liverpool stars have been spotted enjoying an evening at a kids play centre called 'Jungle Fun'

“Next season we will definitely have a better season. Jurgen needs his time to know the players. We need to get to know him and in the last couple of months we didn’t have much luck with injuries. “If we had all the players available – no problems. He reached a final of the Champions League, won the Bundesliga two times. It is not a small thing. He is a big name. “I want to work with Jurgen. To see the pre-season with him. It will be something different.” Lovren is told that when Klopp was at Mainz, he once took his squad to a Swedish lake where they were without food for five days and had to fend for themselves in order to foster spirit ahead of a first Bundesliga campaign. “I don’t mind,” he replies, eyes widening. “I will catch the fish with my hands if I need to. To be honest, if he likes proper work, I like proper work. “I am for everything.” Despite the bravado it will, nevertheless, come as a relief that Liverpool are likely to go the USA. Yet the excitement for what next season could bring under Klopp is tempered by the belief that the current campaign can also yield reward.

GETTY Dejan Lovren in action for Liverpool

“What I touched last year was the bottom,” said the Liverpool defender. “I could not go any deeper. “But I was never worried it would not happen for me here. I know my qualities. I like to keep fighting in the bad moments and I will never say I am done.” There have been times recently that Lovren has looked every bit the player Liverpool thought they were signing a little over 18 months ago. When Manchester United look to overturn a yawning 2-0 deficit tonight they will not dismiss Lovren as a weak link, but remember from last Thursday the leader, organiser and, first and foremost, the defender who sensed danger. A smile creases across the centre-back’s face where a frown once framed his features. He says he is the same player before putting forward two arguments for the turnaround. One is the arrival of Jurgen Klopp. And the other? Confidence.

Liverpool stars enjoy evening at Jungle Fun Tue, March 15, 2016 Some Liverpool stars were spotted enjoying an evening at 'Jungle Fun' Play slideshow iCelebTV.com 1 of 14 Liverpool stars have been spotted enjoying an evening at a kids play centre called 'Jungle Fun'

“Next season we will definitely have a better season. Jurgen needs his time to know the players. We need to get to know him and in the last couple of months we didn’t have much luck with injuries. “If we had all the players available – no problems. He reached a final of the Champions League, won the Bundesliga two times. It is not a small thing. He is a big name. “I want to work with Jurgen. To see the pre-season with him. It will be something different.” Lovren is told that when Klopp was at Mainz, he once took his squad to a Swedish lake where they were without food for five days and had to fend for themselves in order to foster spirit ahead of a first Bundesliga campaign. “I don’t mind,” he replies, eyes widening. “I will catch the fish with my hands if I need to. To be honest, if he likes proper work, I like proper work. “I am for everything.” Despite the bravado it will, nevertheless, come as a relief that Liverpool are likely to go the USA. Yet the excitement for what next season could bring under Klopp is tempered by the belief that the current campaign can also yield reward.

GETTY Lovren endured a difficult time under Brendan Rodgers but has come on leaps and bounds under Klopp

Lovren missed the Capital One Cup Final when the build-up was disrupted by the need to dash home to Croatia after his young daughter, Elena, required emergency stomach surgery. “That was the problem,” he said. “I had to fly home from here. For five days I was with her in the hospital. You don’t sleep well, eat well. Thank God, everything is fine. “I came back and the first day I trained. The second day I was ill. Those five days took everything out of my body. The final came too soon. “I came here for the trophies and that was the first chance we had to win something. It was a disappointment.” But Europa League success shimmers – Lovren does not discount fourth place in the Premier League either – with the manner of the win over United imbuing belief. Now it needs to be repeated. “It felt like a moment,” he said. “I don’t know if it was just because it was Manchester United, but we need to play like this against every opponent and then the crowd will see and it will… (snowball). We need to see in every game the passion and fight and winning football. “We need to finish well. We have a big chance to be where we want to be.” He describes that triumph over Louis van Gaal’s side as a “proper win.” Likewise, Lovren has taken steps towards being a proper player.