Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has claimed that Adam Lallana's surge in form is because he made the decision to 'leave his comfort zone' by moving to Anfield from Southampton.
The England international took time to find his stride when he signed for the Reds from Southampton in 2014 for a reported £25m figure.
The 28-year-old is now arguably one of Liverpool's most influential players and has scored seven Premier League goals and bagged as many assists.
"He has made outstanding, big steps from an already high level," The Mirror quotes Klopp as saying. "That is not always expected, and you cannot be sure he would have done the same at Southampton.
"In his first year [at Liverpool], I heard nobody was really happy about his performances, and especially himself probably. So it's clear he needed this kind of step back to make the next step in the right direction. He left the comfort zone, if you want."
Lallana could feature against his former club this evening when the Merseyside outfit take on Southampton in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final at St Mary's.