Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez believes that now Robbie Keane has opened his Premier League account, he can go on a goal-scoring run.
Liverpool's 3-0 weekend win over West Bromwich Albion was significant not only because it took the Reds to the top of the table, albeit only for 24 hours, but also because summer signing Robbie Keane opened his Premier League account for his new club.
Keane bagged a first-half brace, and boss Rafa Benitez now feels the floodgates will open for his Republic of Ireland international, enabling him to start justifying his £20 million price tag.
"Robbie was working hard and has been playing well but it is massively important for a striker to score, so it’s both good news for him and for us," Benitez told the Liverpool Daily Post.
"I think you’ll see him get a lot more now. If the team keeps playing well and creating chances there is no reason why he won’t get a lot more. It was just a question of time.
"You could see the difference in Keane as soon as he scored the first goal. It made a massive difference to him," he said.
"I remember talking about Peter Crouch when he first arrived and we were waiting for his first goal. Once he got off the mark, a lot more came and it will be the same with Robbie.
"I spoke to Robbie before the game, he was under pressure to score but I told him that he had to stay calm because he has been playing well for the team.
"He told me that he was fine, that he had no problems, but you know a striker is always thinking about scoring goals and so it was very important for him to get his first in the league for us," he added.
"Hopefully we will see him scoring a lot more every week now. I wanted to reassure him because it has been difficult for him."
A Carling Cup clash against his former club Tottenham Hotspur is next for Keane and Liverpool, before Premier League business resumes on Saturday as the Reds introduce the weekend fixtures with a Saturday lunchtime kick-off against Greater Manchester side Bolton Wanderers.
Liverpool's 3-0 weekend win over West Bromwich Albion was significant not only because it took the Reds to the top of the table, albeit only for 24 hours, but also because summer signing Robbie Keane opened his Premier League account for his new club.
Keane bagged a first-half brace, and boss Rafa Benitez now feels the floodgates will open for his Republic of Ireland international, enabling him to start justifying his £20 million price tag.
"Robbie was working hard and has been playing well but it is massively important for a striker to score, so it’s both good news for him and for us," Benitez told the Liverpool Daily Post.
"I think you’ll see him get a lot more now. If the team keeps playing well and creating chances there is no reason why he won’t get a lot more. It was just a question of time.
"You could see the difference in Keane as soon as he scored the first goal. It made a massive difference to him," he said.
"I remember talking about Peter Crouch when he first arrived and we were waiting for his first goal. Once he got off the mark, a lot more came and it will be the same with Robbie.
"I spoke to Robbie before the game, he was under pressure to score but I told him that he had to stay calm because he has been playing well for the team.
"He told me that he was fine, that he had no problems, but you know a striker is always thinking about scoring goals and so it was very important for him to get his first in the league for us," he added.
"Hopefully we will see him scoring a lot more every week now. I wanted to reassure him because it has been difficult for him."
A Carling Cup clash against his former club Tottenham Hotspur is next for Keane and Liverpool, before Premier League business resumes on Saturday as the Reds introduce the weekend fixtures with a Saturday lunchtime kick-off against Greater Manchester side Bolton Wanderers.
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