Christian Benteke: Heavy Price Tag Has Weighed On Striker

Christian Benteke has not had a debut season to remember for Liverpool. Though he has managed to eight goals and three assists in all competitions, with a price tag of £32.5m Liverpool fans were expecting more from the former Aston Villa man, and the goals he has scored have often seemed to come in spite of the big striker not seeming to fit into the squad.

While it's not the sort of thing athletes often open up about, Benteke admitted to feeling the pressure of expectation that come with his inflated price tag, and following his controversial, last gasp penalty to beat Crystal Palace last weekend, he's answered some questions about it:

"Yeah (the price tag is) hard, because I know everything that I'm going to do people are going to talk about the money."

"But as long I'm alright with me, with myself, and I try to work hard for my team, that's the main thing.

"It's not the season that I was expecting, but it's football, and you have some good times and some bad times and you have to deal with them.

"Yeah (scoring again meant a great deal), this is part of football sometimes, you have these kind of moments, and when the manager calls you you have to be ready and you have to try to contribute towards the team.

"It's hard to say (if the goal can kick-start my Liverpool career), because football, you never know what's going to happen. I take the minutes the manager gives me and try to fight."

With Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi both fit, Benteke finds himself third choice at the moment, but if he can keep taking advantage of the opportunities given to him, he will get more time. And if he can put in a string of performances like his late cameo against Crystal Palace, he might just make fools of all us doubting fans yet. Hopefully he will in the end.