THE LOVE SHAQ
LIVERPOOL’S Fab Four may be reforming with a new band member.
The Anfield version split up in January when Philippe Coutinho got his dream move to Barcelona.
Remaining members Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have continued to make sweet music in the Premier League and in Europe.
But now the Fab Four could be back in business with Xherdan Shaqiri pulling the strings.
Shaqiri has been outstanding in Liverpool’s last two games, operating in midfield and supplying the bullets for the Reds’ trio of hotshots.
The Swiss Mighty Mouse brings a creativity to Liverpool’s midfield they have lacked since Coutinho left and while Adam Lallana has battled injury.
Shaqiri made the second goal for Salah against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday with a lay-off described by manager Jurgen Klopp as “genius”.
Shaqiri, 27, is pleased to receive Klopp’s praise and feels he is repaying the faith the German has shown in him.
“I want to thank him for giving me the chance,” he said.
“I have the quality and vision to give good passes and you can see that I wanted to give another good performance. I am enjoying the football here and you can see that on the pitch.”
Shaqiri has had to work for his chance at Liverpool after a testing start to his Anfield career – the Champions League win over Red Star was only his fourth start.
He was berated by Klopp on the pitch after Liverpool’s Carabao Cup defeat by Chelsea last month and questions were asked if he could fit into the German’s high-tempo style.
Shaqiri (celebrating, below, with Firmino) failed to establish himself at Inter Milan and Bayern Munich and critics suggested Liverpool was too big a step for him following his £13million switch from Stoke.
But he has shown he can satisfy Klopp by putting in the hard yards and says he is settling into his new midfield role.
“The coach wants us to track back,” he said. “He wants us to counter-press and, of course, from that we scored the first goal.
“Sometimes it is not simple because the manager changes a few things but you have to do your best.
“This is an interesting position for me. I played the last 10 or 15 minutes against Chelsea like this.
“You can see I don’t often play this position but maybe I have more of the ball and I can make good passes.”