Jurgen Klopp's first ever Liverpool XI shows just how much he's transformed the club

Saturday marks the seven-year anniversary of Jurgen Klopp's first match as Liverpool manager.

Since succeeding Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool boss back in 2015, Klopp has managed to transform the Reds from a side struggling to compete for trophies into one of European football's top teams.

While Liverpool have lacked consistency in the early stages of this season, Klopp's time at the helm has been an undoubted success overall, with the German winning the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Anfield.

Last season, his side came agonisingly close to an unprecedented quadruple before falling short in the final weeks of the season, with Manchester City narrowly pipping them to the Premier League title just days before their defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Paris.

Nevertheless, it has been a remarkable turnaround for the Reds in recent years, with Klopp undoubtedly the catalyst for their upturn in fortunes.

It took the German four years to win his first piece of silverware at Anfield, when Liverpool beat Tottenham in the final of the Champions League in 2019.

But that is hardly surprising, given the scale of the rebuild needed following his arrival on Merseyside.

Klopp's first match as Liverpool manager came against Tottenham in 2015 (Image: Alamy)

In his first ever match as Liverpool manager, a 0-0 draw away at Spurs in October 2015, Klopp started the following XI: Simon Mignolet, Alberto Moreno, Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana, Lucas Leiva, Emre Can, Philippe Coutinho, James Milner and Divock Origi.

Just one player from that starting line-up still remains at Liverpool - vice-captain Milner.

Goalkeeper Mignolet lost his place in the team at the start of the following season but would remain as back-up at Anfield until 2019, when he joined Club Brugge in his native Belgium.

Moreno would play a bit-part role at Anfield before leaving in 2019 for Spanish side Villarreal.

Klopp allowed Skrtel to leave for Fenerbahce in 2016, while Sakho would join Crystal Palace in 2017 after a loan spell at Selhurst Park.

The match ended in a goalless draw at White Hart Lane (Image: Alamy)

Clyne would remain at Liverpool until 2019 before leaving at the end of his contract, with the former England international later joining Palace.

Lallana would play an important role for Klopp in his early seasons at Anfield and would go on to win both the Champions League and Premier League before leaving in the summer of 2020 after his contract came to an end.

Fan favourite Lucas Leiva left in 2017 after 10 years at Liverpool, the Brazilian joining Italian club Lazio.

Can would leave Anfield in acrimonious circumstances in 2018, rejecting a contract offer to join Juventus on a free transfer, while Coutinho was sold to Barcelona for £142m in 2018 - a transfer which helped fund the crucial signings of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson.

Liverpool's starting line-up in the match against Spurs (Image: Alamy)

Meanwhile, cult hero Origi left Liverpool this summer to join AC Milan, ending his eight-year spell with the Premier League club.

When you compare the team that faced Tottenham in 2016 to Liverpool's current side, it's clear just how impressive a job Klopp has done since arriving on Merseyside - especially when comparing the club's net spend to the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United.

Earlier this week, Klopp was asked to reflect on the problems he encountered when he first arrived at Liverpool.

"I can't remember the problems anymore. Let me go into it, I think, OK, what were the problems? I had no players in that week to train and we had to play Tottenham at the weekend – that was a big problem, to be honest,” said Klopp.

Klopp has gone on to win numerous trophies with Liverpool (Image: Alamy)

"But I came only on Wednesday and Thursday, and we played Saturday, was it an early kick-off as well? Of course. So, that was my problem, I don't compare.

"It's not important what was seven years ago, really not."

Klopp is clearly focussing on the here and now. His side next face Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, knowing a defeat would likely end their hopes of a title challenge this season.

But whether Liverpool could on to win major silverware this season or not, there is no doubting Klopp will go down as one of the greatest managers in the club's history.