Jürgen Klopp namedrops West Brom and Leeds United during surprise Championship admission

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has praised the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United for their quality of football ahead of his side's FA Cup clash with Southampton on Wednesday night.

The Reds' head coach, who lifted the Carabao Cup trophy on Sunday following a 1-0 extra-time win over Chelsea, has been impressed with the improvement displayed in the English second tier this season. Five or six clubs in particular have dazzled Klopp, who has been tuning in regularly.

"I love the Championship, I watch it so often," Klopp said, via Lewis Steele. "I watched it last week, Leeds v Leicester. There was a Bundesliga game on too but I decided to watch Leeds. Wow, the Championship has improved and the intensity played there is absolutely insane.

"I saw West Brom playing recently with a real football-playing idea. Leicester, Leeds, Southampton, obviously. Ipswich as well. The league is incredibly difficult, it's quite impressive what's happening there," Klopp continued.

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Liverpool may be buoyant with confident ahead of their FA Cup fifth round tie but Klopp has plenty of respect for his upcoming opposition, Southampton. A strong lineup is expected to be named at Anfield as Liverpool look to progress to the quarter-finals of another competition.