Assistant coach Pep Lijnders believes new signing Thiago Alcantara will "improve all the other players" in Liverpool's squad.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a fruitful debut in Sunday's 2-0 win over Chelsea after coming on as a second-half substitute, despite giving away a penalty.

Speaking before Wednesday's EFL Cup clash against Lincoln City, Lijnders explained how Thiago would have a 'direct and indirect' impact on his teammates.

He said: "With signings you have direct improvements – you put them into the game and things happen - but indirect development is the most important of signings.

"Because [Thiago] is so calm and he plays so many creative passes, all the other players start playing like that. This is the power of example, the power of models. He will not only improve our game but improve all the other players."

Asked if Thiago would be omitted for the trip to Lincoln, Lijnders replied: "The German [League Cup] competition is like this as well.

"A lot of times when you draw a third division club in Germany you play away, that's how they try to help, so he knows these kind of teams.

"Thiago needs time to understand our game but we also need to understand and use the skills of Thiago. There will be different timings, different passes, different dictation of play.

"We have to stay unpredictable and Thiago gives us unpredictability from the spine of the pitch. We want hopefully 11 players who can play the last pass and for sure he is one of the players who can play this last pass.

"We always search to do the right thing for each game. We have so many different characteristics in our midfield [so] we can change when necessary and put the right midfield in in place to approach the game.

"It is not just Thiago of course, but Curtis Jones who comes in and takes an important spot in midfield, who gives us risk between the lines, gives us young blood. He is a proper squad player at this moment in time."