Can to remain in Liverpool defence

Despite an injury to Lucas Leiva, Emre Can will not be vacating his position in the Liverpool defence.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says Emre Can will remain in defence, even though central midfielder Lucas Leiva is set for a spell on the sidelines with a thigh injury.

Can has impressed since moving into the back line, but was considered one of the favourites to fill the hole left by Lucas, who picked up his knock in the Merseyside derby at Everton on Saturday.

However, Rodgers believes moving Can again would be counter-productive. 

“Lucas has been very important for us but there will be an opportunity for someone else,” Rodgers said. “Eventually, Can will be a player who plays further forwards and there might be games when I do think that, but you also have to remember the balance of the team as well, which is very good at the moment.

“It’s four clean sheets in a row and defensively we have been very strong.

“With Emre you can see the importance of his role and the position he plays in there. He was immense at the weekend in a real physical game.

“Why disrupt that and try and fix something that could actually create another problem? The balance of the team is fine at the moment.”