Christian Benteke will fit Liverpool's style of play - Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers is confident that new signing Christian Benteke will soon fit into his side’s system, in spite of doubts over the powerful striker’s suitability to Liverpool’s style of play.

Club legend John Barnes is one of many leading pundits to have expressed doubts over the Belgian forward’s suitability to lead the line at Anfield, with the former winger saying that Liverpool will need a more “direct” gameplan that they have had under Rodgers.

But with a record of 42 goals in 89 Premier League games at Aston Villa Benteke’s new manager is confident that his new signing will be able to reenergise an attack that spluttered last season without Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

Speaking after his side’s 1-1 draw with a Malaysia XI Rodgers told the Liverpool website: “There are a number of qualities that he has and he will only improve in his time at the club.

“I think first and foremost his goals, if you look at his goals record since the time that he’s been in the Premier League he's up there with the best in terms of numbers. So that was very important for us.

“Obviously I've heard and I've seen stuff about the style, 'he won't fit the style of how we play' - I think he'll only complement it and help us. He’s a big guy but he’s got the attributes that I like in terms of pace and movement and he gets goals, he gets all types of goals.

However Rodgers did acknowledge that the 24-year-old could bring a different aspect to Liverpool’s game.

“He's great in the air, strong, he can hold the game up, he can play on the counter-attack, he can play whenever the team is deep because he can hold the ball up with his physical strength,” the manager added.

“As I said, he's a boy that still is improving in his game so I don’t think there’s any doubt he'll fit our tactical idea of the game and he can be a huge player for us.”