Swansea City manager Garry Monk has heaped praise upon Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers ahead of the upcoming meeting between the two sides.
Rodgers and Monk previously worked together at the Swans, with the Northern Irishman guiding them to the Premier League with Monk as his club captain.
The two friends will be reacquainted at the Liberty Stadium on Monday night, and Monk revealed that he looks up to his former boss due to what he has achieved in a short space of time.
"We have Liverpool and then Tranmere away in the cup. After we play QPR on New Year's Day we travel straight to Liverpool for the Tranmere game and I asked Brendan if we can use the facilities there," he told reporters.
"He said yes - but it depends on the result! He is a great guy, a fantastic manager and a person I look up to. We chat regularly about football and everything. What he has done in his career is something I aspire to in mine.
"He was at Reading, Watford and here, and within a couple of years he was managing Liverpool. He is an inspiration to someone like myself and one of the most mentally strong people I know."
Swansea are currently eighth in the Premier League table, three points above Liverpool.
