MX23RW : Tuesday, November 12 20:06:28| >> :60:2811:2811:

Mark Lawrenson: 'Christian Benteke needs more service'

Ex-Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson says that Brendan Rodgers needs to change his style of play if summer signing Christian Benteke is to score goals at the club.

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson has said that Christian Benteke needs better service from his teammates if he is to be a success at Anfield.

Benteke joined the Reds from Aston Villa for £32.5m this summer as manager Brendan Rodgers looked to add a goalscorer to his team, but the Belgian has scored just once in his first four Premier League appearances at his new club.

Lawrenson insisted that the striker has the quality to be a success at Liverpool but stressed that the current style of football being played at the club is making life more difficult for the summer signing.

"They know Benteke will score but Liverpool's problem is getting the best out of him," Lawrenson told BBC Sport. "Football is really simple sometimes – give your striker the service and he will get you the goals.

"With Benteke, the way to do that is to deliver crosses into the box, but that is hard when Liverpool lack width in their attack.

"What Liverpool are doing this season is making the pitch narrower, and relying on their full-backs for width rather than their forwards. It has not worked for them so far."

Brendan Rodgers's side will be looking to bounce back from the 3-0 home defeat to West Ham United in their last match when they face Manchester United tomorrow at Old Trafford.

ID:245419: cacheID:245419:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2483:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Football pundit Mark Lawrenson looks on before the npower Championship game between Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers at Cardiff City Stadium on April 23, 2011
Read Next:
Lawrenson urges Rodgers to sign Benteke
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!