Jurgen Klopp says he "could not respect Brendan Rodgers' work more" as Liverpool prepare to face top-four rivals Leicester City in a crunch Premier League clash.
Third-place Leicester enter Saturday's game at the King Power Stadium one position and three points better off than the reigning champions, who are enduring a poor title defence.
The Foxes are also through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and last 32 of the Europa League, where Manchester United and Slavia Prague await respectively.
And Liverpool boss Klopp, who was appointed as Rodgers' Anfield successor in October 2015, is full of respect for what the Ulsterman has achieved at Leicester.
"I couldn't respect Brendan's work more," he said. "The job he is doing and they are doing is really, really good.
"They had some injury problems too and came through properly and are now a real competitor."
Rodgers is aiming to become the first former Liverpool manager to win a Premier League game against the Reds since Roy Hodgson in April 2012 with West Brom.
The Leicester head coach is pleased with his side's development over the past 12 months as they look to go one further than last season's fifth-placed finish.
"I believe we have improved. The mentality in the team has grown over the past year. Let's see if we can make the next step," he said.
Leicester have won seven of their last 10 games in all competitions, which is as many as Liverpool have won in their last 19.
Klopp's men are 10 points adrift of Manchester City, having also played a game more than the league leaders, but Klopp is confident that results will soon turn for his side.
"The only thing you really can do is to fight through a situation like this," he said. "Nobody will help you.
"You have to work for all the situations, defend and attack on the highest level. There are a lot of good signs in the last few weeks that shows me we aren't too far away."
KEY PLAYERS
Leicester City - Jamie Vardy
Vardy missed four matches after undergoing hernia surgery but has now played a part in City's last two games, including an hour of the midweek FA Cup win against Brighton and Hove Albion.
He may have gone seven games without a goal, but Leicester are undoubtedly a better team with the 34-year-old leading their line.
Liverpool - Alisson Becker
The Brazil international made two errors leading directly to a goal in last week's defeat to Man City, making him the first Liverpool goalkeeper to do so in a game since Loris Karius against Real Madrid in the 2018 Champions League final.
A swift response is required here against big-scoring Leicester, especially in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and makeshift centre-back Fabinho.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- Leicester have lost their last three home Premier League games against Liverpool - their worst ever losing run in the league against the Reds.
- Liverpool have won 12 of their last 17 Premier League matches against Leicester (D3 L2), including six of their last seven against the Foxes.
- The hosts have lost 16 of their last 20 Premier League games against reigning champions (W2 D2), keeping just one clean sheet in that run. However, they have won two of their last four such games at home (L2), beating Chelsea in 2015-16 and Man City in 2018-19.
- Liverpool are looking to win three consecutive away Premier League matches for the first time since winning eight in a row between November 2019 and February 2020.
- Liverpool have lost consecutive league games for the first time under Klopp - they have not lost three in a row in the Premier League since November 2014 when managed by Rodgers.