'I'm going to' - Southampton boss makes Jurgen Klopp admission ahead of Liverpool FA Cup clash

Southampton boss Russell Martin has sung the praises of Jurgen Klopp's amazing achievements at Liverpool ahead of the Saints' FA Cup fifth-round trip to Anfield.

Martin will bring his team to Merseyside on Wednesday evening, just three days after Liverpool's grand Carabao Cup win at Wembley where a late extra-time goal from Virgil van Dijk landed Klopp the seventh major trophy of his managerial tenure with the Reds.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Martin said: "I'm going to stand in the dugout with one of the greatest managers we've seen in the Premier League. I think he's been amazing for the Premier League and what he's done, not just with the team and how they play on the pitch, but to bring a city together and connect with a community like he has is incredible.

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"So I look forward to that very much. We've enjoyed looking at the games, like we always do, to try and help prepare us. It's a brilliant opportunity for us to go there and go toe-to-toe and see how far we've come and how far we have to go as well, myself included."

Former Swansea manager Martin took charge of Southampton in June and led his team through an unbeaten run of 25 games - a club-record - before facing defeat at Bristol City earlier this month. Since then, two more league defeats have led the south-coast club to trail five points behind the automatic promotion spots in the Championship. However, Martin does not view the midweek trip to Anfield as a distraction from their goal of making a speedy return to the top flight.

"No-one will expect us to get anything outside this