Pundit identifies Adam Lallana as the heartbeat in Liverpool’s side

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Liverpool’s Adam Lallana has become an influential player.

Former player and current pundit Danny Higginbotham has identified midfielder Adam Lallana as the key cog in Liverpool’s side as the Reds enjoy a superb start to the season, The Sun report.

The Reds have won four and drawn one of their opening six Premier League matches, a record all the more impressive considering they’ve already faced Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur away from home.

It comes as little surprise to see Jurgen Klopp’s side so dangerous with the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in their attacking ranks.

Liverpool’s Adam Lallana celebrates scoring their first goal

However, Higginbotham feels fellow attack-minded player Lallana is the player who holds it altogether for the Reds and identifies the England international as the new heartbeat of the team.

“Liverpool have had a terrific start to the season with plenty of their players attracting the praise they deserve,” Higginbotham wrote in his column for The Sun.

“There is a lot of talk about Jurgen Klopp and his decisions, whether he plays with Daniel Sturridge up top or a ‘false nine’. But nobody has been involved in more Premier League goals so far this season than Lallana.”

“What is clear is that Liverpool have developed two very distinctive ways of playing. One with Sturridge and one without. But in both set-ups, Lallana is key.”

Liverpool’s Adam Lallana celebrates scoring their third goal

Lallana has made an outstanding start to the season, scoring three goals and grabbing a further three assists.

Many have identified Lallana’s end product as a major weakness in his game, and it took him 27 international appearances until he finally broke his England duck as he notched late in the recent 1-0 win over Slovakia.

But it isn’t his sudden improvement in the final third which has seen him become a key figure for Liverpool, yet instead his overall contribution and willingness to work hard off the ball.

His pressing is often relentless, and the ground he covers alongside Liverpool’s fellow attacking players allows Jurgen Klopp’s men to quickly overturn possession and hurt teams on the counter.

The 28-year-old has started all six Premier League matches this season, averaging 2.5 shots, 2.3 successful take-ons, 1.5 key passes and 1.5 tackles per league encounter (Whoscored).