Jurgen Klopp is the best football coach in the world because of the connection he establishes with players on an emotional level, according to Steffen Freund.
Former Borussia Dortmund star Freund watched Klopp work magic at his old club between 2008 and 2015, winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles, the 2012 DFB-Pokal and reaching the 2013 Champions League final.
"That is, of course, the wonderful thing when you compare the coaches: Lucien Favre and Jurgen Klopp," Freund told Omnisport.
"Favre is calm and well-balanced, with a good tactical instinct. But I would always prefer Jurgen Klopp, because he is the coach who can also reach players emotionally because he himself is like that, and because he knows that the day has come when he will sweep the players along with special moments, through his emotions.
"And that's why Jurgen is the best in the world right now."
Freund thinks the "passion" Klopp has helped to instil within his Liverpool squad will serve them well in the title race - particularly when their form deserts them.
"If you look at the Premier League so far, everything is playing for Liverpool," said Freund. "Even their own games are won late. It's not always good football, but they have played with a lot of passion. Jurgen Klopp also exemplifies this passion.
"They also have the necessary luck at the moment, but because I also played in the Premier League for five years and I also worked there as an assistant coach [with Tottenham], there will come a phase where Liverpool will lose.
"It looks so safe and clear at the moment, but that's not how they play. And then the question is how quickly they get back into the corner. Along with Manchester City, Liverpool are favourites for the title."