Brendan Rodgers, famously, came close to winning the Premier League title for Liverpool back in 2014, only to end up as runner-up in heartbreaking circumstances. However, the Northern Irishman has claimed one star of the current Reds team would have seen his side over the line as champions - had he been around to play a part.
Rodgers' Reds came within touching distance of ending a then 24-year league title drought during the 2013/14 season but finished in second place after Steven Gerrard's infamous slip and Crystal Palace's comeback from 3-0 down contributed to Manchester City overtaking them to steal the glory in the final gameweeks.
A new documentary broadcast on BBC2 named 'Liverpool FC: The 30-Year Wait' runs through the club's recent history from their last league triumph in 1990 up to 2020's eventual glory, with contributions from several key figures along the way.
One area that would have been of particular interest to many fans was Rodgers' three-and-a-half-year spell following his appointment in the summer of 2012.
The now Leicester City manager failed to deliver any silverware whilst on Merseyside but his exciting, attacking side came the closest to adding a 19th title before Jurgen Klopp finally delivered what all Liverpool fans had been craving for so long.
The likes of Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge lit up the Premier League scoring 101 goals in the top flight that year. However, it was problems at the back that let Liverpool down.
Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Kolo Toure and Daniel Agger were the centre backs that season, conceding 50 league goals. Their leaky defence proved to be Liverpool's undoing in the end but it was an issue that Rodgers believes would've been solved had one current star been in his backline.
That man? UEFA Men's Player of the Year 2019 Virgil van Dijk, of course.
"We were great going forward, we were just that bit inconsistent defending," Rodgers said when reflecting on the season that so nearly delivered a Premier League trophy.
"I've got no doubt that if we had Virgil van Dijk in our back four at that point we would have won the league."
Manuel Pellegrini's City ultimately finished just two points ahead of Liverpool in 2014, while Rodgers lost his job the following autumn, paving the way for Klopp's takeover and that title 30 years in the making.
Source : 90min