Gerrard: Klopp deserves statue outside Anfield after Liverpool winning PL title

Steven Gerrard believes Jurgen Klopp deserves a statue outside Anfield as Liverpool close in on their first league title in three decades.

Klopp's team are on the brink of making history and with their 25-point lead could even seal the championship this weekend as the Premier League resumes.

And Anfield legend Gerrard, who describes Klopp as 'the best manager in the world', think the club should waste no time in immortalising him at Anfield alongside the likes of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Sir Kenny Dalglish.

'Knowing Jurgen, he won't want to be put in that bracket,' Gerrard told The Athletic. 'I know what he's like, he's humble and respectful.

'When you look at the scale of the job he's done, for sure he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those iconic managers.

'What you need to take into consideration is that when Jurgen took over Liverpool they weren't close to being the best team in the country, they weren't even in the top four.

'To come to Liverpool when he did, get to the amount of finals that he has, deliver the sixth European Cup and then deliver the first league title after 30 years…

'For me, someone like Jurgen should be rewarded now. It seems like in football we often wait until people get older before their achievements are fully recognised.

'But I know the owners of Liverpool won't let that happen. When Jurgen delivers the league they should already be starting work on a statue of him.'

Klopp arrived at Anfield in October 2015 and led Liverpool to the final of the League Cup and the UEFA Europa League during his first season, losing both to Manchester City and Sevilla respectively.

They reached the final of the Champions League in 2018, losing to Real Madrid, but atoned a year later by beating Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid.

And now Klopp is set to end Liverpool's long and agonising wait for league glory as the season resumes behind closed doors.

If nearest challengers Manchester City lose to Arsenal on Wednesday night, Liverpool will be crowned champions if they beat Everton in the Merseyside derby on Sunday night.

Shankly has had a statue by the Kop stand at Anfield since 1997 and a statue of Paisley was unveiled by the Main Stand earlier this year.

In 2017, the Centenary Stand was renamed the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand in honour of the former player and manager.