You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Daniel Sturridge likens it to the prospect of playing a final on FIFA against his mates. How excited are you for Thursday night?

I'd hope it's a darn sight more exciting than that, in all honesty!

I much preferred Sturridge's other quotes in which he's bullishly claimed he's as good an attacker as Mats Hummels is a defender. Let's hope he proves it.

Thursday's game is our biggest of the season. We reached a League Cup final under Klopp and beat United over two European legs, but there's a feeling that progression against Dortmund will signal the real start of something special under the German.

His squad is healthy and beginning to show consistent understanding of his instructions. On a good day, a Klopp team can beat anyone.

Speaking of Sturridge, would you start with him or Divock Origi up front? Or both?

The romantic in me starts the pair and goes for the jugular in the first 15, but it's a potentially suicidal tactic against Tuchel's outfit.

A Dortmund goal completely changes the dynamic, so it makes sense to go with one centre-forward and two playmakers either side - like last week.

FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES OF LIVERPOOL vs BORUSSIA DORTMUND FROM ANFIELD HERE.

I'd pick potential match-winner Coutinho and in-form Adam Lallana flanking Origi, who simply has to start following his first-leg display and weekend brace. That means the fully-fit pair of Sturridge and Roberto Firmino on the bench; something I never thought I'd say a few months back.

After maybe over-estimating Dortmund in the first leg, is there a danger they may be under-estimated in the return?

Klopp simply wouldn't allow that. Liverpool outplayed Dortmund in large parts last Thursday, but bar two miracle blocks from first Sakho and then Lovren, we'd have been 2-0 down and out of the tie before half-an-hour.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a lovely, lovely footballer, and unless our centre-backs are at their very best, he'll slice through us with the not inconsiderable help of Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Liverpool's problem this season has been under-estimating lesser teams, but we typically rise to the occasion against the bigger ones. There's no way we'll leave anything in the changing room on Thursday.

How much of a change was it to see the Reds sweep someone aside at home with the minimum of fuss last weekend? Is that a pointer to how the future could be under Jurgen Klopp?

It was a pleasant surprise, certainly. Joe Allen put in the kind of performance that might earn him a contract extension, Sturridge finally backed his class up with work-rate, and Alberto Moreno - so often an easy target for fans - showed why he was capped for Spain at 21.

More consistency at Anfield in the Premier League is essential. Uninspiring draws have stagnated our progression, and have occurred due to our poor finishing and inability to defend set-pieces.

Klopp will address both these issues in the summer, although in fairness, no team has scored more Premier League goals (28) in 2016 than Liverpool.

Jordon Ibe wasn't on the bench against Stoke, and has been doing some cryptic things on social media lately. Do you think he has a future at Anfield?

I never joined the 'Ibe's more talented than Sterling' bandwagon, and it's fair to say his stock has fallen quite dramatically from the beginning of the campaign, where he was part of the first-choice XI following a great pre-season.

Ibe's got technique, strength and speed but a questionable attitude. Klopp will not appreciate his childish Instagram posts, but Ibe is only 20 and still learning his trade.

I'd like to see a loan spell to a mid-table Premier League club next season. Sitting on the bench is harming his development, and with Markovic coming back, Gotze hopefully signing and Ojo's improvement, Ibe's chances could be limited. Let him impress elsewhere and come back with increased confidence.

Finally, why does everyone seemingly dislike James Milner?

Because he's English, started slowly and is in his thirties. Liverpool fans are quick to brandish new signings good or bad, but Milner's improvement this calendar year has gone unfairly unnoticed.

He doesn't produce moments of magic, but his statistics speak for themselves. He has 17 goals and assists combined this term - more than Coutinho, Roberto Firmino or Adam Lallana.

This, for a player accused of lacking creativity and end product. Importantly, Klopp likes him very much; a good clue to me in judging a player's worth.