John Arne Riise believes the form of Adam Lallana and James Milner is a major factor behind Liverpool's success this season.
The Reds are level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City after nine games and have reached the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup and Riise, who spent seven seasons at Anfield between 2001 and 2008, winning the Champions League and FA Cup, has put some of that down to the impact of Lallana and Milner.
"Adam is probably the one player that has surprised me and impressed me the most this year," Riise told Sky Sports.
"His fitness levels are as good as anyone in the league. He's everywhere. I've always liked him but you can see now he is more involved in games he's getting on the ball more.
"He's creating more chances and scoring more goals. He's really impressed me this year and hopefully he can keep his good form going."
The tactical flexibility and responsible manner of Milner has also caught Riise's attention.
"I've known James Milner for a long time and played against him a few times," he added. "He is adaptable and is a player who managers love because he is professional, can play different positions and always gives 100 percent.
"Milner is more of a hardworking left-back than an offensive left-back but he's also scored quite a few penalties and is getting forward really well."