Liverpool are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League. 

Jurgen Klopp's side are eight points clear of second-placed Leicester and are still unbeaten after 12 fixtures - winning 11 of them.

Very impressive indeed. In fact, since the German arrived at Anfield in 2015, he's transformed the club. 

It may have taken four seasons to get back to the top, but as European champions and Premier League title favourites, Liverpool are well and truly back on their perch.

Much of the credit has to be given to Klopp because he's created a team that's very tough to beat. But in reality, he's been doing that for most of his managerial career.

Just ask Xabi Alonso. Back in 2014, he came up against Klopp's Borussia Dortmund side while playing for Bayern Munich.

It's fair to say he doesn't exactly have fond memories of the experience. 

"I didn't enjoy playing against them because they made it so intense, you'd almost break," Alonso told The Athletic. 

"It was like he [Klopp] wanted you to be in a cage. He wanted to trap you. There was an organised pressure. I was under pressure all the time."

No wonder Liverpool are storming to the Premier League title. It seems Klopp has always known how to suffocate world-class footballers with his intense tactics. 

Reds supporters will just be hoping he has similar plans to deal with the best players in England's top flight.  

Despite having a tough time against Klopp's Dortmund, Alonso - who is a Liverpool legend himself - admitted he did always look forward to those fixtures.

"I enjoyed the mood around those games because they were so important but the challenge of beating Dortmund was immense."