Use your head like Sadio and 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

James Milner believes Saturday’s hard-fought draw at Tottenham proved that Jurgen Klopp has already made his mark at Liverpool but warned: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

The England midfielder revealed that the new Reds boss is his 17th manager during a club career which dates back to Terry Venables giving him his Leeds debut nearly 13 years ago.

Milner was sad to see Brendan Rodgers sacked having been convinced by the Northern Irishman to leave Manchester City for Anfield last summer.

However, the stand-in captain is now looking to the future with relish and admits Klopp’s arrival has transformed the mood around the club.

“He is how he seems to you guys. It is not an act – he is a good guy and loves the game of football and enjoys what he does and want us to enjoy it,” Milner said.

“He asks for 100%. We will all have bad days, everyone knows that, but as long as you give him 100% and play high intensity and concentrate and give him everything.

“Every manager has their own style and where players should be in certain situations. He obviously has got a great record but we are disappointed for Brendan as I feel he is a top manager. I have worked with a lot of managers – I think this is my 17th club manager – I have had a lot of experiences.

IN PICS: Spurs 0-0 Liverpool

“Brendan was right up there with the best and I am disappointed for him but football changes, we move on and we wish him all the best. We have a fantastic manager with a great record and it is great for English football.

“I have had quiet managers, animated managers foreign, English, British, different styles. I have seen a lot – young and old.

“You try and learn from each one and they all have strengths and weaknesses. I’ve been blessed to work with a lot of top managers and now here is another one.”

Liverpool faded after a dominant opening 20-minute spell at White Hart Lane and were indebted to the heroics of Simon Mignolet as they remained on level terms.

However, Milner insists considering the lack of preparations time due to the international break and the Reds’ crippling injury list the gutsy performance bodes well for the challenges ahead.

“I think it is a good start. A change of manager is never easy,” he said.

“We had a few injuries, to say the least, as you cannot even get into our treatment room at the moment.

“Without the ball we were very good, we played a high tempo. Maybe we tried to force it forwards a bit early and we can improve with the ball, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. It is a tough place to come so to get a positive result is a good start.

“So much has gone on in these few days. It has been tough for the manager, a whirlwind coming into English football and there is the expectation, pressure on him and the team.

“He is coming to try and get his ideas over and it will take time. He has said he can only feed us so much as he cannot change everything.

“It will take a few months to see exactly what he wants but it is a positive start, although a few injuries have come which is really disappointing. But you saw that in the team and on the bench, there is still a lot of quality.”

(Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

Klopp gets his message across

Klopp cut an animated figure on the touchline throughout the contest in the capital as he barked orders and encouraged his players to press relentlessly. It was little surprise that fatigue took its toll in the second half.

Milner said: “He gets his message across. We are not watching him as we are concentrating on the game but you can hear what he is saying.

“It is important, like a 12th man, trying to get those messages across. If he can inject some energy into the boys over these last 10 minutes, when we are tired, then good.

“We have games every three days so there’s only so much that can be done on the training pitch. It is not as though we have pre-season and have time to do what we want.

“We have to recover after games and we have lost a lot of players so we cannot rotate much. We know it will take time.”

Klopp hopes to have Christian Benteke, Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino back in full training this week but Jordan Henderson, Jon Flanagan, Joe Gomez, Jordan Rossiter and Danny Ings remain out.

Milner admits the loss of Ings last week to a season-ending cruciate ligament injury was a bitter pill to swallow after the former Burnley frontman had shone for both club and country.

“I’m devastated for Danny and Joe,” Milner added.

“Jordan Rossiter has come back with a hamstring strain so it was not a good international break.

“I am gutted for Danny. He has come in and done really well. He was just chasing a ball in training.

“It is devastating after making his England debut but I said to him: ‘it could be a lot worse, it could have come before you made your England debut, but you did that and had come in and done really well for us.’

“People know what he is about and hopefully Danny and Joe can get back as soon as possible.”