Xherdan Shaqiri will be a massive asset for Jurgen Klopp this season

Liverpool are utterly rampant at the moment after picking up a 3-0 win against Southampton this weekend. The Reds seem to be an unstoppable force at the moment but haven’t yet clicked into the final gear.

Klopp’s men are showing real determination and intent as they aim to lift the club’s first Premier League title. The Reds are not the team that they used to be. Liverpool now possess a plethora of top quality stars in their squad and moreover, they have even ensured depth this season.

New £13m signing Xherdan Shaqiri was handed his first start for the club against the Saints this weekend and the Swiss international was in sizzling form. However, he was taken off at half-time, which Klopp mentioned during his post-match press conference as a purely a tactical move.

Shaqiri ran the show in the 45 minutes he was on the field. The former Stoke City winger played a massive role in Liverpool’s first goal. Though it was Wesley Hoedt who ultimately nicked the ball into his own net, it was Shaqiri’s cross that ricocheted off the defender.

He was once again key to Liverpool’s second as Mohamed Salah was brought down just outside the area. Shaqiri stepped up for the free-kick and saw his effort hit the crossbar before Salah turned in the rebound.

Salah ended his short drought and Shaqiri proved that he will be a massive asset for the Reds this season. What Liverpool lacked last season was quality on the bench. The Reds’ bench against Southampton consisted the likes of Naby Keita, Joe Gomez, Daniel Sturridge, James Milner and Fabinho.

Liverpool have now entered one of the most hectic schedules of the season and this is where Shaqiri will prove to be the key. The Reds often found it hard to get going in the absence of their fabulous front trio. But in Shaqiri, they will have another able teammate who is capable of marauding forward in search of goals.

Shaqiri is a mobile and very effective dribbler of the ball who possesses a number of qualities to thrive in Klopp’s system. His free-kick against the Saints showed that the Reds now have another set-piece specialist.

As the season gets thicker and thicker, Jurgen Klopp would need his entire squad to step up and do their best. In Shaqiri, the German has a player who he can count on to produce the goods. His influence in the Southampton game was immense. The Swiss winger will definitely prove to be a handy asset for Jurgen Klopp this season.