Liverpool new boy Xherdan Shaqiri not worried by lack of Anfield playing time
Shaqiri featured for Switzerland in their international friendly defeat to England on Tuesday night
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Your support makes all the difference.Xherdan Shaqiri has said he is not fazed by his lack of playing time at Liverpool so far and that he is adjusting to life on Merseyside well.
Shaqiri joined Jürgen Klopp's side from Stoke City in a £13m deal this summer, shortly after his exploits with Switzerland at the World Cup in Russia.
The 26-year-old played the majority of his national side’s narrow 1-0 defeat to England on Tuesday night, spurning an excellent chance to put his side ahead in the first half.
Having managed just 27 minutes over two substitute appearances for Liverpool so far this season, Shaqiri could argue his finish was one of a ring-rusty player still in search of rhythm.
The former Bayern Munich winger is not concerned by his limited opportunities under Klop though and expects to enjoy more time out on the pitch soon.
“I am very relaxed because we have a lot of games and every player is going to have enough games to play I think,” Shaqiri said, eyeing Liverpool’s forthcoming Champions League and EFL Cup commitments.
“I knew the coach before,” he added when asked if anything had surprised him on arrival at Anfield. “This football I knew before, so it was not a surprise for me. Of course, it’s a big change from Stoke to Liverpool. Liverpool is a big, big team.
“But I know how to be in a big team because I played at Bayern Munich and I played at Inter Milan. So for me, I knew what it would be like.”
With the international break coming to an end, Shaqiri’s focus shifts to Saturday’s lunchtime meeting with Tottenham Hotspur, the first test of Liverpool’s title credentials against a fellow ‘top six’ side.
The trip to Wembley also begins a gruelling run of domestic and European fixtures for Klopp’s side, with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Napoli and Manchester City all to come before the October internationals.
“I think we are going to have a lot of top games,” Shaqiri said. “Good games over the next few weeks and of course I am looking forward to them. We want to keep our performances the way they have been.
“Liverpool are one of the biggest teams in the world,” he added. "Last year they had a very good year. Sadly they didn't win a title but now we try to make a step forward and try to win titles. That’s the most important thing now, to be our goals. To win titles.”
When asked about the specific threat posed by Tottenham, Shaqiri said Mauricio Pochettino’s side possess “a lot of dangers” that Liverpool must be wary of.
“They have a team now that has been playing together for many years. So that’s a plus for them," he added.
“They know each other very well and you can see that on the pitch, the way that they are working together, so we know that they have a big, talented team.
“But we will go there and try to win the game. We know it’s going to be a tough game.”
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