Football
Glenn Price, Liverpool correspondent 7y

Liverpool's Emre Can happy with new attacking role

Emre Can has told Sky Sports he is relishing the chance to venture further up the pitch in Liverpool's current system.

Can, 22, has found the back of the net on two occasions this season, having taken up a new role in Jurgen Klopp's midfield.

The versatile German, who frequently played as a defender during Brendan Rodgers' reign, has found himself in more advanced areas this season due to Jordan Henderson's excellent form in the deep-lying midfield role.

"It's a different role to last year when I played more as the No. 6," Can said. "That was more of a controlling position. Now I can attack more and my target is to score more goals and get more assists. I think it suits me because I like to run forward and to be dangerous."

On playing in defence, he added: "It was very good to learn how to build the game and it was very important for me. I enjoyed my time there but I feel at home in the midfield position. That's where I like to be."

Liverpool are currently the Premier League's top scorers with 32 goals, which has been a crucial factor in the team's push for the title.

However, Can also said that the side's ability to win the ball back has improved considerably this campaign.

"We work on this every day on the training field," he added. "Everybody knows that we counter-press. When we lose the ball we look to win it back as soon as possible. But you can't do it alone, you have to do it all together.

"If you see our performances from last year to this year, you can see that we have got better at it. It's a key part of our game without the ball. But with it we have to control the game and dominate. I think we're getting better at that every game. Everyone is working so hard."

Liverpool currently sit one point adrift of leaders Chelsea in the league standings, having spent a large part of November at the summit.

While Can believes a club of Liverpool's stature should always be aiming for as much silverware as possible, he is first hoping to ensure that the Reds are back competing in Europe.

"We have more time in the training sessions and it gives us the chance to try a lot of things," he said. "We have more time now but, of course, everyone knows we want to play in Europe. That has to be our target.

"We can still improve and there are lots of parts of the game for us to work on. It's still early in the season and we have to think game to game but, of course, when you play for such a club as Liverpool you have to always be looking to win things.

"My first aim is to stay healthy and help the team. It wasn't an easy start for me as I came late to preseason and then got an injury. But now I'm back and I'm trying to get back to my best. The atmosphere is good and we're winning games. We have to keep going like that."

^ Back to Top ^