Under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage, Liverpool has been transformed after a period of strife on Merseyside and an interminable wait for a Premier League trophy came to an end emphatically.
Since the German manager's appointment, Liverpool have cemented a position at the forefront of the domestic and European game, with the likes of Ralf Rangnick hailing the former Borussia Dortmund boss as "one of the best" managers in the world for his impact at the Anfield side.
In the times preceding Klopp's arrival, however, Liverpool boasted some pretty incredible moments since the turn of the millennia, with the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul forever remembered as one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history, while the FA Cup victory over West Ham United the following year and many years of lethal partnerships and enthralling moments etched into the club's lore.
Premier League
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Champions League
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FA Cup
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League Cup
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FIFA Club World Cup
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UEFA Super Cup
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FA Community Shield
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FIFA Best Men's Club Coach
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PL Manager of the Season
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At the centre was Steven Gerrard, one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history and the centrepiece of all that flowed for the Reds, having made his debut in 1998 and going on to record 710 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 186 goals and supplying 157 assists.
He enjoyed tremendous success for his beloved club and is arguably the greatest player in its history, heralded as "without doubt the greatest player I have ever played with, he has everything" by former teammate Fernando Torres.
And what a partnership that was…
How many goals did Fernando Torres score for Liverpool?
Torres was signed from Spanish side Atletico Madrid for a fee believed to be around £20m in 2007, having scored 14 goals in LaLiga the season prior.
2007/08
33 goals from 46 games
2008/09
17 goals from 38 games
2009/10
22 goals from 32 games
2010/11
9 goals from 26 games
Torres would plunder 81 goals and 20 assists from just 142 matches for Liverpool and earned praise for his "world-class" ability by Gerrard.
Despite going trophyless during his spell at Liverpool, the 110-cap Spaniard did win the 2010 World Cup while on the club's books, and his blistering performances sent the fanbase into rapture on more than a few occasions.
His time on Merseyside ended acrimoniously when he completed a then British-record £50m transfer to Premier League rivals Chelsea in January 2011, with the Reds acquiescing to his departure as the Spaniard made his desire to leave clear.
Despite the circumstances of his exit, fans will always remember the electricity of his forward play and his devastating partnership with captain Gerrard.
How good was Steven Gerrard?
Steven Gerrard. The iconic Liverpool captain who orchestrated success in the Champions League, FA Cup and more; his all-encompassing midfield displays are to this day some of the greatest the sport has seen, and his legacy will endure despite failing to bring home the Premier League trophy for his long-time team.
His composure and intellect on the pitch was second to none; his passing range was superlative and his tenacity in the tackle stifled opposing attacks with the robustness and precision of a star centre-half, while his ability to strike the ball is among the best there has been.
Gerrard and Torres developed an innate understanding and forged a truly frightening partnership on Merseyside, with Gerrard's incredible ball-playing skills often breaking the lines and latching onto a surging Torres, whose pace and power in the final third finished off many incisive moves.
Such a duo comes around once in a blue moon, and while Liverpool would struggle to repeat such a destructive weapon, at present, Klopp might have an academy talent capable of blending with prodigious midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, who broke into Liverpool's current team last season. Step forward, Jayden Danns.
Who is Jayden Danns?
Danns is a 17-year-old striker who has been making waves for Liverpool's academy outfit, having scored 15 goals and supplied two assists from just 25 outings for the U18s.
This season, he is already making further strides and has bagged five goals from the opening four games of the U18 term, hailed for his “superb” cutting edge by reporter Lewis Bower.
A versatile attacker with a natural eye for goal and electric pace, Danns may well be in the same mould as Torres, albeit with more than a fair share of work to develop into a striker capable of leading the line at the highest level.
What the precocious talent needs is a teammate to develop a dynamic partnership with, and Bajcetic, who has already been impressing in the Reds' senior set-up, might just be the dream comrade.
How good is Stefan Bajcetic?
Lauded for his "outstanding" performances in a struggling Liverpool side last year by pundit Jamie Carragher, the 18-year-old Spaniard made 19 appearances under Klopp's wing last term, scoring one goal, from his energetic role in the centre.
The 6 foot 1 starlet is nimble and agile, both relentless in his defensive duties and possessing an eye for an audacious pass, with Klopp already praising his "attitude, awareness and intelligence."
While he's not a like-for-like heir to someone such as Gerrard, he certainly boasts enough quality to cement a prominent role in Klopp's Liverpool team in the future, and his security in the centre, blended with a supreme technicality and ball-playing skill, may well be perfect for a forward such as Danns to weave into the danger area and wreak havoc.
It's early days, but with Danns off to a flyer in Liverpool's youth ranks and looking like he could sustain some clinical form in the future and Bajcetic already exuding style and tenacity in the centre, also demonstrating that he possesses a shrewd eye for goal, the teenage duo could forge a formidable partnership in the future.
Like one unforgettable Spaniard and Englishman duo before them, Liverpool's rising stars could play a big role for the Anfield side in the future, and there is a possibility that the days of Torres and Gerrard wreaking havoc in the Premier League could return, albeit in a new form.
