Danny Murphy has heaped praise on Xherdan Shaqiri for his “tremendous” display in the Merseyside derby win Wednesday evening.
The 28-year-old made his first Premier League start of the campaign against Everton at Anfield, and was rewarded for his efforts with a well-taken goal.
Speaking after the game on Match of the Day, (BBC One, 22.45, December 4th), Murphy suggested that Shaqiri deserves a more regular role in the starting XI.
He said: “Shaqiri deserved his goal.
“He was tremendous, considering he’s hardly played this season.
“Showed the manager he should be playing more, I think.”
OPINION
This was exactly the kind of impact that Shaqiri will have been desperate to make after spending the best part of this season on the sidelines. There has never been any doubt about his technical ability as a player, but there have been questions asked over his application of that talent. Given the high-intensity style of play that the Reds are known for, that has gone against him in previous times, but last night he showed a different side to his game. His work rate was superb, and that, coupled with the quality of his output – registering two shots, two successful dribbles, and one key pass, as per Whoscored – should surely be enough to convince Jurgen Klopp that he has what it takes to be a real asset in the second half of this season. With the Reds likely to have another quiet transfer window in January, Shaqiri could, in effect, be the new signing that fans have been craving.
