Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp gave a nod to Divock Origi ahead of the experienced Daniel Sturridge on the big night away at Dortmund. The 20-year-old Belgian striker gave a stellar performance and was rated the highest for the Reds. Origi not only managed to score a goal but also was very impressive in holding the ball up-front. When Liverpool were scouting for the young talent, a lot of comparisons were made between him and Suarez due to the pace and the finishing abilities of the Belgian striker.
The progress so far
Origi has had a decent first year at Liverpool and he has appeared for 13 games in the premier league so far in his first year with Liverpool. In these appearances, he managed to hit the net twice and has had 18 shots on goal. The Belgian is also good in winning the ball in the air and has a decent shooting accuracy. He can also play at wider positions and has a tremendous pace to hit on the counter attacks. These traits show a lot of promise in the youngster and Klopp will surely look to develop the player in the seasons to come. Liverpool have struggled a bit this season with the striker role as Sturridge was injured and Benteke failed to impress at Anfield. Under these circumstances, Origi was the player who came up to the task for Klopp and delivered decent performances up-front.
Comparison with Lukaku
In the away game against Dortmund, Origi showed a different aspect of his game altogether. He managed to score a goal with three defenders covering him and it was a brilliant solo effort. The 20-year-old striker showed enough maturity up-front and was impressive in holding the ball. His pace and his finishing abilities were already witnessed by the fans in earlier games but on Thursday, Origi showcased his strength as a striker and his ability to hold off defenders and control possession. These qualities are very similar to the ones possessed by his Belgian counterpart Romelu Lukaku. Both these players have killer finishing, brilliant pace, the strength and the desire which is expected from a center forward. However, it is too early to make these comparisons but one thing is for sure – Jurgen Klopp will certainly give Origi a lot of game time in the next season and will consider him as a potential attacking option, not just as a substitute.
Note: this article is written before this weekend game. So, this weekend’s stats are not included.
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