EPL: Christian Benteke has changed for good, says Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (left) talks with striker Christian Benteke during their EPL match against Sunderland in England last year. Pic/AFP

Liverpool: Striker Christian Benteke may currently be a bit-part player for Liverpool but manager Jurgen Klopp believes he has seen a change for the good in the Belgium international.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (left) talks with striker Christian Benteke during their EPL match against Sunderland in England last year. Pic/AFP

The £32.5million summer signing is third-choice behind Daniel Sturridge and compatriot Divock Origi and the 20-minute substitute appearance he got against Manchester City in midweek, when the match was already won - was his first action in four games. Benteke has not started a Premier League match since December 30, the date of his last goal. But Benteke has been caught up by young strikers coming up the ranks.

However, when he came off the bench on Wednesday Klopp said he noticed an improvement in the striker's game, although whether that will be enough to save him from the player cull which is surely coming at the end of the season remains in doubt. "If you saw him in the last game he came on and was completely different to the games he had before," said the Reds boss.

'Take your chances'
"The problem is in a club like Liverpool with the strikers we have - (Daniel) Sturridge, Benteke, (Divock) Origi, (Danny) Ings - injured but here - and (Roberto) Firmino - you have not too much time to show what you are able to so you need to use the time you have got. Christian was not in the best moment in this situation and Sturridge and Divock came back and now they are little bit ahead but when I saw Christian coming on in the last game he played really good."