Emre Can’s Performance Against Manchester City Shows Why Liverpool Need To Tie Him Down To A New Contract Soon
Emre Can will enter the final year of his existing deal with the club at the start of next season. Liverpool have been in negotiations with his representatives over the possibility of a new deal and had put a new contract on the table. However, it was reported that Can was stalling on a new deal, as he held out for a better wage packet which the club weren’t willing to match up.
Later, Can came out and refuted those claims, stating that his contract situation had nothing to do with the wages on offer, but that he is stalling on signing the dotted line as he seeks assurance from the team management over the regular first-team involvement in the coming seasons.
However, he hasn’t allowed those off the field issues to let him get distracted from his game. The 23-year old scored the winner for the Reds in the 2-1 win over Burnley at Anfield, a week back. It was an improved performance from Can, who had been held responsible for the poor results Liverpool went through, earlier in 2017.
But, on Sunday evening, facing one of their rivals for the top-four finish, Can put in one of his best ever performances for Liverpool in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. In a game which was largely characterized by the huge number of chances that were missed by either teams, the German held his own in the middle of the park and gave a glimpse of what he is capable of when given a regular run in the starting XI.
Playing in his preferred No.8 role, just ahead of defensive midfielder Lucas Leiva, Can stole the show for Liverpool and was arguably the best player on the pitch. Spraying the passes from the middle, Can enjoyed a 79% success rate on his 43 attempted passes. It should be noted that the passes he attempted for most of the night weren’t simple square passes and that the average length of the passes he played was 18m. Can created one goal-scoring opportunity in the game – which came in the first-half, and he also attempted one take-on but was thwarted in his attempt.
He showed great heart as he ran and hounded his opponents throughout the length of the game, while romping forward with good effect, displaying his abilities in a box-to-box role. Can won 60% of his five attempted tackles and showed great tenacity in the midfield areas. He was also a force to reckoned with in the air, winning all of his three aerial duels.
Can made one interception in the game and made two blocks while he also made three important clearances around his penalty box, with two of them coming in the last ten minutes of the game when Manchester City were chasing the winner. He committed just a single foul, which is a very good return, considering the role he was playing. Moreover, he managed to draw two fouls for his team.
It was an accomplished performance from Can in the midfield, especially with so much going on in his life, away from the pitch. He showed that he has the class and the ability to become a stalwart for Liverpool, proving his detractors wrong. Given his age, Liverpool need to tie him down soon enough and reap the benefits of the German’s potential brilliance.