Leicester City boss Claude Puel has revealed how he forced Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk out of his comfort zone.

Leicester's French coach worked with Van Dijk at Southampton, in his one season in charge on the south coast in two years ago.

Puel said: “When I came in at Southampton, Virgil was a good player but he was too comfortable.

“We know all the great teams like to have possession, to play high up the pitch. The defenders need to learn to defend with a lot of space behind them, to make cover and defend often one against one and remain compact.

“So we worked with different moves and examples of international teams to look at the defenders and the different aspects of a modern defender.

“He was angry at the beginning but, step by step, he corrected things and improved. He took another dimension. But Virgil has had always a big character and strong personality. At the beginning, sometimes it was difficult between both of us, but step by step I think he understood. He became a modern defender in this time and performed game after game.

“When one time he came back from his national team, I had watched his game and said it was perfect — his movement and cover. He had just a little smile and after this time he has had fantastic consistency, quality and performances.

“He listened in the end and is a fantastic player and competitor. He is strong, powerful, fast, technical and he can play under pressure without a problem."

The Frenchman has his own ball-playing centre-back at his disposal in Harry Maguire, 25, who was Leicester's player of the season last term and went on to excel at the World Cup finals.

Puel added: “I said at Southampton Virgil was the best defender in the world. But he confirmed it with Liverpool. I hope Harry can follow the same way. Harry has also different attributes but a lot of aspects in his play to become a fantastic defender. He is a very good defender and can become one of the best in the world if he continues to improve."