Asked how Jurgen Klopp's team compared with his, Benitez said: "They are doing well, doing a great job with a very good team.

"At the moment, they're one of the best teams, not just in Europe, but one of the best in the world. They haven't won a trophy but there are so many strong teams, that can happen.

"Will they stay there? Yes. They are at the maximum level now and they can compete well against Manchester City or Barcelona or Bayern. They can stay there."

Benitez is still held in high regard for what he did during his time at Anfield, which saw him come as close as any manager to ending the club's long wait for a 19th league title.

They finished as runners-up at the end of the 2008-09 campaign despite losing only two games as Manchester United pipped them to the crown, although the 59-year-old Spaniard is philosophical about the near miss.

He said: "Sometimes other teams are stronger. If that's the case, that's fair enough and you have to concentrate on the things you have done well and the things you haven't and try and do better next year.

"The problem now in football is how much money you spend and whether you can buy the best players."

Benitez, whose ongoing contract negotiations at Newcastle revolve in part around a similar issue – if at a more modest level, could find his popularity on the red half of Merseyside slipping if the Magpies win on Saturday evening.

He said: "I feel the Liverpool fans, they love me because we won the Champions League in Istanbul, we won four trophies and were in three finals, and also the way we were defending the club against [the establishment].

"It's similar to Newcastle, everything together, we fight and we stick together."

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