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Liverpool star Xherdan Shaqiri 'is like Lionel Messi and can become Jurgen Klopp's best player'

Former FC Basel manager Thorsten Fink has compared Xherdan Shaqiri to Lionel Messi and tipped the Switzerland international to become Liverpool's best player.

Shaqiri scored as Jurgen Klopp's men kept the heat on Premier League leaders Manchester City with a 2-0 victory over Fulham at Anfield on Sunday.

It was the 27-year-old's eighth League appearance since a summer move from relegated Stoke and capped an impressive start to life under Klopp at Liverpool.

And former boss Fink, who managed Shaqiri at Basel between 2009-11, believes the attacker has the natural talent to propel himself to the top of the world game.

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"Cristiano Ronaldo, he worked for what he achieved," Fink told ESPN. "But Messi, he had it.

"He didn't have to work for this talent. Ronaldo must work for this - work with this body, work with everything. For me, Messi has this talent. That's also for Shaqiri.

"He has this talent to play. If he works very professionally, he can be the best player for Liverpool - not only a player. Every time the aim must to be better and make the next step. If you play for Liverpool not every week, it cannot be enough for him. His aim must be to play every week."

And Fink has challenged Shaqiri to show the professionalism needed to become a Kop hero at Liverpool.

He added: "With his possibilities, it's not enough to play for Stoke. He can play for the biggest club in the world because of the talent he has. That's what I wanted.

"Everything [is there] for the perfect footballer. The only thing is: 'Can you make the next step, Xherdan?' If you want to play for Liverpool or Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Man United, and you want to play every time - not just be the man who sits on the bench - you need more professionalism."