Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has defended his £20m summer signing Lazar Markovic, insisting that the winger just needs time to adapt to the Premier League.
Twenty-year-old Markovic, who signed from Benfica over the summer, has struggled to make an impact at Anfield, featuring only six times for Rodgers's side so far.
"With young Markovic it's taking time with him," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.
"He's in a new country and he's getting used to a new way of life and he's just getting accustomed to the physicality of this league having come from Portugal where it's totally different."
Markovic has faced competition for his place from Adam Lallana, who joined from Southampton for £23m.
"If you look at Adam Lallana his performance in the derby showed that he is going to be a very good player, the supporters are going to love him," Rodgers said.
"I've got confidence in them both. That's why we brought them in. We're certainly not disregarding any of the players we've brought in.
"These are players who we believe will be outstanding players here but sometimes you can hit the ground running and sometimes it takes a wee bit of time."
Liverpool resume their Premier League season when they face West Bromwich Albion at Anfield this afternoon.
Joe Sharratt
