'It Looks Promising,' Klopp Offers Star Midfielder Hope About His Liverpool Future After 7-2 Win

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hailed Xherdan Shaqiri saying the Swiss star’s future with the Anfield side still looks "promising" after The Reds thrashed Lincoln City 7-2 in the League Cup on Thursday.

Shaqiri, who has struggled to get games at Anfield over the last year or so, scored the opening goal against Liverpool’s League One opponents. The other goals were scored by Takumi Minamino (two goals), 19-year-old Curtis Jones (two goals), Serbian midfielder Marko Grujić and star forward Divock Origi.

The 28-year-old Shaqiri, who is undoubtedly very talented, has struggled to convert that into more starts for the Premier League champions. When he made only 11 competitive appearances for Liverpool last season, the former Inter Milan and Bayern Munich midfielder was linked with a move away from Anfield this summer. In 11 games, Shaqiri managed to net just one goal last campaign that was during Liverpool’s memorable 5-2 win over Merseyside rivals Everton.

After Shaqiri scored a stunning set-piece Thursday to put Liverpool 1-0 in its League Cup match against Lincoln City, Klopp was quick to praise the Switzerland national and also explained why the player was substituted later in the game.

"First of all it was a super game; a super game from Shaq in a quite, I’m not sure, unfamiliar position – slightly deeper in midfield. The set-pieces were outstanding – the free-kick he scored with, what a goal that was! There is no doubt about Shaq’s quality, there was never [any doubt] and at the moment everything looks really, really good, it looks promising and we will see. He did it really, really well. It was my fault [he was substituted] – he was completely fine, he twisted his ankle slightly but it was absolutely nothing,” added Klopp in a post-match interview.

Klopp also heaped praise on Minamino, who moved to Liverpool from RB Leipzig during the 2020 January transfer window.

"I loved Taki’s game tonight, to be honest – it was absolutely outstanding and involved in so many situations. More and more, I think we all realize where his qualities are. Wherever he will play in the end, he will end up in the center: if he plays on the left-wing or the right-wing, he will play in the half-spaces or the center because that’s where he has his real strength,” said Klopp about Liverpool’s No. 10 in the same interview.