Former Liverpool star Dominic Matteo is of the opinion that Emre Can needs to up his game if he wants to make the holding midfielder’s position his own.
The Germany international, who has struggled for consistency this season, scored Liverpool’s second goal against Burnley on Sunday as his side secured a come from behind victory.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has deployed his compatriot both as a central midfielder as well as a defensive midfielder in the present campaign, with the 23-year-old thus far making 30 appearances in all competitions this term, scoring four times and setting up three goals.
And Matteo, who praised Can’s goal against the Clarets, however, feels the former Bayer Leverkusen man needs to work on keeping the ball if he wishes to succeed as a holding midfielder.
“He got better as the game progressed”, Matteo said on LFC TV after the game, when asked about Can’s performance.
relatedNewsStory
“I think he started the game a little bit slowly.
“I think when he is playing in that role, that’s the position I would like him to play.
“I think when he gets on the ball, he needs to relax, take a touch and play simple at times.
“When you are playing in that position, you don’t have to run everywhere, you let the players in front of you do the running.
“You just get on the ball, take control of it and give it to the boys in front of him, who are obviously technically better than him.
“As the game went on, he came into it and it was a fantastic goal.
“He always puts the effort in. I think at times he slows down the game slightly, he needs a little bit more composure.
“I think for Emre to go become that player in the holding role, you have to be so disciplined and you have to keep the ball and he needs to work on that.”
Can, who is in his third season at Anfield, is contracted with Liverpool until the summer of 2018.
