Liverpool striker Fabio Borini has revealed working with a sports shrink has improved his game.

The Italian turned to personal mental coach Roberto Civitarese while he was struggling to make a breakthrough at his first professional club, Chelsea.

The relationship was revived this season when Borini endured a three-month sabbatical imposed by a broken foot.

He told the Press Association: "I think it is a thing that, in modern football, can be really helpful.

"I really appreciate talking to psychologists and I will talk to them again.

"I opted for it to make something change in what I was doing: I was at Chelsea at the time and I worked with him for almost one year to get the mentality right.

"After getting all the mental things right I got my debut in the Premier League.

"On the pitch I've had really good results from what I did and it is a special thanks to him because he really helped me in a difficult moment."