Brendan Rodgers compared the play of Raheem Sterling at striker to Alexis Sánchez, who was a Liverpool target this summer.

“You get different types of striker. He's more of an Alexis Sanchez when he plays as a striker - he's not going to pin the defender. He plays in the spaces and he's got the speed to get in behind,” said Rodgers.

Liverpool saw Alexis as an ideal replacement for Luis Suárez.

“He’s a fantastic player and would have suited us,” said Rodgers at the time. “His profile would have been great but it was not to be and we move on.”