Lazar Markovic: Is Liverpool's £20 Million Signing Finally Stepping Up?

The 20-year-old Serbian winger Lazar Markovic has taken his time to adapt to Merseyside life after arriving from Benfica this summer. Is he now ready to start justifying his hefty price tag?

Of course, making any definite conclusions based on a player’s performance in just a single game is always a stretch, if not downright silly. But what a performance it was!

When Liverpool got a 1-0 away win against Sunderland last weekend, there was little doubt as to whom their star man was. Markovic decided the match by scoring the only goal, but it was his overall display that really captured the imagination of the Reds’ fans, stirring hope that their manager Brendan Rodgers was on to something after all when he decided to pay £20 million for the youngster’s services.

Awarded the Man of the Match gong from WhoScored.com, Markovic was rated 8.98 for his performance. He scored and hit the woodwork on another occasion with a really attractive midair volley from the outside of the box; he made four successful dribbles, three accurate crosses and passed the ball with 90.5 per cent accuracy (though he only had 51 touches on the ball and 21 passes).

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Connor Wickham's reaction to Lazar Markovic's shot is absolutely gold  http://t.co/mVAey5SckD

— Football Upload (@FootballUpload) January 11, 2015"

He looked dangerous whenever in possession, but his defensive contribution was at least equally remarkable, as the Serb won five tackles and made four clearances, winning the ball from the opposition more than any other player on the pitch.

It was a complete, all-round, awe-inspiring performance.

It was as if the kid who had previously been struggling to meet the big expectations put upon his shoulders just woke up one morning transformed into a superstar—into a player who can make a difference and win games for Liverpool. The question that everybody seems to be asking themselves now is: Was it a one-off freak occurrence or a sign of even better things to come?

Lazar “The Lazer” Markovic—or the “Butterfly,” which is the nickname they coined for him in Portugal for his briskness and agility—is clearly a player of vast potential. Few others in the Premier League, if any, could beat him in a footrace and that, coupled with his technical ability, makes him an opponent no one wants to stand against. But he’s also very keen on acting in the best interest of the team, as evidenced by his defensive record against Sunderland.

Spotted by scouts at the age of 12 in the youth ranks of Borac Cacak, along with his older brother Filip (now with RCD Mallorca in the Spanish Second Division), Markovic moved to Serbian powerhouse Partizan Belgrade back in 2006. Five years later, he signed his first professional contract and was already voted the club’s Player of the Year before even turning 18. He also debuted for the national team in early 2012.

In Portugal, where he moved in the summer of 2013 for €10 million, Markovic quickly established himself as one of Benfica’s star players. He excelled in the league, having won two Player of the Month awards (in January and February of 2014), but he also made UEFA’s Europa League Squad of the Season—even though he missed the final due to suspension.

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

It came as no surprise that other clubs started to want him and, after just one year at the Estadio da Luz, Benfica sold him to Liverpool. While Markovic’s potential was clear, still the fee raised a few eyebrows and the youngster quickly found himself under scrutiny.

The team he came into is very different from the one that almost won the title last season. Luis Suarez is no longer at Anfield, but several new arrivals—including Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Mario Balotelli, Alberto Moreno, Emre Can and Ricky Lambert—are trying to establish themselves in the side. None of them has enjoyed particular success so far, and Liverpool made a poor start of their 2014-15 campaign.

There are signs, however small, that Liverpool are slowly picking up themselves. They are now on a seven-match unbeaten run—hardly impressive, given that two of those were Cup games against minor opposition and that they didn’t really excel in any of the league ties—but still it might suggest a return to form is close.

Rodgers has also changed the way the Reds play, now favouring a flat 3-4-3 formation.

It’s an interesting choice and, given the players at his disposal, the system switch might well be an important part of Liverpool’s bid to get back on track. But what is particularly intriguing about it is that Markovic—a winger who has also played as forward at times—has been asked to cover the right wingback position.

Michael Regan/Getty Images

He did it really well against Sunderland, and that surely convinced Rodgers his tactical experiment is working. It’s an unfamiliar role for the youngster, but he looks naturally suited for it with his speed, work rate and defensive awareness.

Markovic’s new role should benefit the team, giving them another attacking option from behind. Liverpool have found it very difficult to cope with the Suarez departure so far, especially after Daniel Sturridge got seriously injured very early in the season. The team’s other strikers—Balotelli, Lambert and Fabio Borini—have contributed merely a single goal among them so far.

That means that those behind or flanking them, like Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho and Lallana, need to score instead. And they have been, but the lack of goals (29 in 21 games this season) is still worrying given the very attacking style favoured by Rodgers. Last season, Liverpool scored 101 goals in 38 league matches (2.66 per game); now that average is almost halved, just 1.38.

With his front line clearly not potent enough, Rodgers needs to search for alternative solutions of finding the net. In Markovic as wingback, he may have found one; the Serb could be on his way to assume an important role in the team—albeit a different role from the one he might have expected.

Stats courtesy of WhoScored.com.