Liverpool have a 'new weapon' honed in training, Pep Lijnders reveals

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders says that Joel Matip’s ability to carry the ball forward out of defence is a ‘new weapon’, the likes of which the club is constantly on the look out for.

Cameroonian defender Matip scored against Leeds United at Anfield on Wednesday night, clipping a smart finish over the on-rushing Illan Meslier after dribbiling with the ball from the middle of the park and exchanging a one-two with Mohamed Salah.

That was Matip’s first goal of the season and his seventh 152 appearances for the Reds, and Lijnders says that defenders like Matip being able to operate higher up the pitch has revolutionised the team.

‘We are constantly searching for new weapons and dynamics,’ the Dutchman explained in a press conference ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

‘We see that our team became better at recognising when to step up with Joel. When there’s space [defenders] can really go in and commit.’

Matip is a popular player with Liverpool supporters and his increasing propensity to dribble through the pitch has pleased Jurgen Klopp’s assistant, who says that the team’s goal is to have anybody on the pitch capable of creating goals, including centre-backs.

‘We call this the classic Joel dribble!’, Lijnders explained. ‘He does it a lot in training. I believe the way we bring out the ball from the back improves massively over the years. Basically you want to create the last pass from everywhere, and that should even be a centre-half who can play the last pass.’

While Virgil van Dijk is Liverpool’s undisputed number one choice at centre-half, Matip and 22-year-old Frenchman Ibrahima Konate have been alternated as his partner by Klopp.

Pep Lijnders provides Roberto