Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was delighted with Xherdan Shaqiri's performance last night for victory over Lincoln City.

The Switzerland international, making his first start since the Club World Cup last December, played further back than usual in the Carabao Cup clash and opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a stunning free-kick.

Shaqiri has managed just 42 appearances in all competitions for the club, with injuries and a loss of form dropping him down the pecking order.

Shaqiri is among those linked with an exit in the transfer window but Klopp suggested the performance could offer him a lifeline.

"First of all it was a super game; a super game in a quite, I'm not sure, unfamiliar position. He did it really, really well," Klopp said.

"There is no doubt about Shaq's quality, there was never any doubt and in the moment everything looks really, really good, it looks promising and we will see."