Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was delighted that David Ngog struck in their victory over Sunderland in midweek.

"I am really pleased because he is training very well, working really hard and showing his quality," Benitez, who signed the 6ft 2in forward from Paris Saint Germain last summer, told liverpoolfc.tv.

"To see him playing in this game and scoring his first league goal is good for him and good for the team.

"All players, especially strikers, need to play well and score goals for their confidence, so I think the goal will be important for his future.

"He showed the fans that he can do really good things. He worked very hard and did good things in attack - good passes and tricks. I'm very pleased for him.

"The first year in the Premier League is always difficult, but even more so for a young player coming from France because it is more physical here.

"But he's learning and improving every day. He has got the potential to be a very good player for us. If he keeps working and improving as he is now, he can be an important player for Liverpool."