Liverpool's Emre Can steps into the limelight

Last Sunday, it became clear just how far Emre Can has come from his days as a teenage talent at Bayern Munich who impressed fleetingly while on loan at Leverkusen.

Another outstanding performance at the heart of Liverpool's midfield saw him do it all in a 4-0 demolition of Arsenal. Can was accurate, commanding and decisive as lavish praise was heaped on the midfielder.

Earlier in the week, two goals and a masterful performance at the heart of Liverpool's midfield led Jürgen Klopp's side back into the Champions League group stage for the third time in the last nine seasons. Klopp turned to Liverpool fans after Can's back-post tap-in ended the contest after just 21 minutes and reportedly said 'that's football'. While Liverpool's play was scintillating, it was also a look at what kind of player Emre Can really can be.

His goals were the headline to a display that tells the true story - one that was reiterated against Arsenal. Can understands how to be the pivot in Liverpool's lightning transition. While a different player in many respects, Can's current role and form smacks of Ilkay Gündogan in his brightest days at Borussia Dortmund under Jürgen Klopp. Can's performance against Hoffenheim was all the more special given that he was suffering from a cold in the days before.

Thanks to an injury-free preseason, Can's development has taken a sharp turn upwards in the last few months. He never had the chance to convince those in Munich, but now the 23-year-old has made an excellent start to a season that holds huge promise.

He has scored spectacular goals before, but the arrival of supreme combination play has made him look more than just another midfielder to play for the club. Liverpool's front men are making the headlines, but Can is leading Liverpool from the middle.

With a strong season, Can can prove to Joachim Löw that he is ready to not just be the future of Germany's midfield but also a bigger part of the present. Liverpool will be keen to sign Can to a new contract (current deal expires in 2018) to make sure the same is true for Can at club level.