Success for a manager can be measured in many ways, and Jurgen Klopp's time at Anfield is an unqualified success by any count.
In this article, we'll explore the numbers behind Klopp's success against the toughest clubs in the Premier League--the Big Six.
The Premier League's Big Six consists of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham.
During a Premier League season, each one of the Big Six must play the other five teams twice--once at home and once away. Throughout his 9 seasons in charge at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp's squads performed remarkably well in this grueling test that has been the demise of so many managers.
Klopp's record against Manchester City speaks volumes about the quality of his squads. Over 9 seasons, Klopp's squads recorded 6 wins, 7 draws, and 5 losses against City. A point that deserves particular emphasis here is that Klopp's squads suffered only one loss to Pep Guardiola at Anfield.
Liverpool's record against Manchester United under Klopp was 6-8-3. Klopp only lost twice at Old Trafford, and similar to his record against City, he only lost one game at Anfield against the Red Devils.
Klopp's squads put together a brilliant 9-5-3 record against Arsenal. Their goal differential was a spectacular +20, and Klopp never suffered a defeat at Anfield at the hands of the Gunners.
Klopp's record against Spurs was even better than that against the Gunners with Liverpool amassing a 10-6-2 record against Tottenham. Klopp's squads never lost at home against Spurs, and Tottenham had to wait 6 years between victories against the Reds.
Finally, Liverpool's record against Chelsea during Klopp's time in charge was 7-9-2, with Klopp's squads allowing just 17 goals in 18 games against the Blues.
These numbers are evidence that Liverpool's squads under Klopp performed incredibly well against the toughest teams in arguably Europe's toughest league. When the competition was at its best, Klopp could inspire his players to raise their game to the highest level, and the results back him up.
The phrase; "To be the best, you have to beat the best", was seemingly taken to heart at Liverpool during the Klopp era.
It was not only the overall impressive record in the Premier League, but we could do a whole separate article on how he fared against them in other competitions as well.
What stands out the most is the manner in which a lot of these wins were secured. Passionate and thrilling days that don't come around very often when you can feel the emotion of the match wherever you are. The Klopp Effect.