And did you take a look at the pedigree of Liverpool's backline, in terms of how they did without Klopp?
We have two teenagers, a scot unknown and a CB with potential but hardly a big name before he got there.
In midfield, we have a dime a dozen MF (Wij), a guy who was never considered more than a depth player (Milner), a guy who nobody except one poster would consider a great player (Henderson), an african winger who came through L1 to be a decent EPL player (Mane), a brazilian striker known for being good defensively and in link up play but who can't score to save his life (Firmino) and an egyptian winger who was always talented but could never score a dozen goals a season because he always managed to fail.
That's your Liverpool XI status in terms of how they were seen before Klopp arrived.
Now this team reached the CL final and is leading the EPL. Can't you see how it's MAINLY down to the coaching? Klopp made the most of his players, made them progress and for some probably overachieve.
You can always say United's backline sucks. It's not how players are rated now that matters.
Wijnaldum was always extremely talented but held back by injury. He left Holland as the best player in the league and did very well in his first season with Newcastle, and continued to do well with Liverpool in his first season there. Nothing dime a dozen about him.
Milner never played less than 35 games a season (all comps) for City as they became multiple time PL champions.
Henderson was better under Rodgers, and was one of the most important players in their finishing 2nd.
As posters have shown before, Mane tore up Bayern playing for RBL before moving to Southampton where his talent was obvious, and he was quite successful. Obviously surrounding great talents with better players, as long as they fit together will enhance their abilities.
Salah was coming off an incredible season with Roma, playing in a different role.
Firmino was already for years one of the best players in the Bundesliga, and started out his first season with Liverpool struggling with injury. On top of which he wasn't a striker until Klopp moved him there, and doesn't even play there really this season.
van Dijk was already talked about as one of the best defenders in the PL playing for Southampton, and I would say he probably is more to credit for Lovren's better consistency than Klopp.
Then yes, there are teenagers who have been well known talents. I called Gomez being this good well before he broke out, Alexander-Arnold has always been a phenom.
Klopp has done an amazing job with this group, absolutely. Coaching is extremely important. However, it's not like Klopp is working with a bunch of scrubs who couldn't do anything. They were all very good, or very talented players prior to Klopp joining. They fit well together. Also extremely important to this is that most of them are relatively young (or were when they joined).
I'm excited for Paul Pogba to carry United into the top 3 now that Mourinho is gone.