Emre Can wants strong start from Liverpool

Liverpool midfielder Emre Can has said that the team "owe it to the fans" to make a good start to the Premier League season.

The Reds open up their campaign away at Stoke City, where they lost 6-1 on the final day of the previous campaign.

The Reds picked up just seven points from their first six games last term, and Can says that they cannot afford a repeat of that.

"I'm always fully motivated for every game, and the start of the season especially so," he told Liverpool's official website.

"I hope I can get the goal tally started quickly. We didn't end the last season particularly well, and I think we owe it to the fans to make amends.

"This is why the first few matches are especially important. I think we can start to put [the Stoke result] right with a few good results."

Liverpool finished sixth in the table last term.