A 'new' Luis Suarez, Kevin Keegan comparisons and fresh 'world class' options - Ian Rush rates every Liverpool forward

Liverpool's greatest ever goalscorer gives the ECHO the lowdown on each of the front five at Anfield

Ian Rush rates Liverpool's "world class" forward options as the strongest Jurgen Klopp has had to work with during his eight years as manager.

And the iconic former No.9 thinks the players at Klopp's disposal make him the envy of the Premier League, such is the strength in depth at Anfield.

Since they have all been fit and available to Klopp at the same time in April, Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota have scored 22 of Liverpool's last 29 goals in the Premier League and the star-studded frontline is tasked with firing the club back into the Champions League places this term.

But while Klopp has a five-man frontline jam packed with a wide variety of capabilities, Rush also reserved a word for the emerging talent of 17-year-old Ben Doak, who caught the eye on the club's pre-season tours of Germany and Singapore.

With 346 goals to his name during a glittering and goal-laden career with the Reds that spanned two spells, no-one is as qualified as the legendary Rush to give his take on the current crop of sharpshooters at Anfield.

Here, Rush exclusively tells ECHO what he feels each member of Klopp's striking department can bring to the table this term.

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"I think the striking options are as strong as they have ever been. And I was on the pre-season tour and while you talk about the front five you can also mention Ben Doak as well. He is only young but he really impressed me during the pre-season tour.

"So I think as far as the strength in depth goes, I don't think Jurgen's ever had stronger options. The thing now is how to fit them in? I am sure any of those five anyway would most probably walk into any team and I include Manchester City in that as well, you know. When you mention them all, it must be frustrating for them to be on the bench.

"It's about going into space when there is no-one there. It takes time to do that and you can see it slowly but surely coming with these players now and they are getting to grips with that now. The opposition don't know who to mark and we've now got five rather than three and it's about picking the right combination.

"I couldn't pick a first-choice between them all and that is why I wouldn't like to be the manager. I think what Jurgen will do will be to look at the opposition for each game and he will decide each game. He can play anyone of these five and I don't think they won't all play at once but he will pick the right combos for each game based on who the opposition is."

Mohamed Salah: "I spoke to him recently and wished him all the best for the season. He is looking forward to it. He is one of those, for me, he looks to be fitter than ever. Ever since that shoulder injury years ago, he seems to be working really hard on his fitness and he seems fitter than ever. He is looking forward to this season.

"I keep on mentioning to him about my record and he's gone fifth now in the all-time list but it's quite funny because he always shoots back to me that I must've been counting my goals in training as well! So it's something to look forward to. I always said if you break records then great but the most important thing is the team winning trophies and that is what it is all about.

"Mo is the same like that as well. He is not just there to score goals but he is there for Liverpool to win trophies. I said to him that he can maybe create more goals than score them this season. He has become more of a team player for this season. I see him running back loads now and helping the team out as well.

"I think when you get to a certain age you become more of a team player and that is it now. I think if you look at the assists Mo even had during pre-season and against Chelsea, he is really good at creating. He is playing a bit more on the right now too. He is maybe not as central.

"When you had Salah alongside Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, the three of them interacted really well. And you need a football brain to do that and with these five now, they are all coming together now."

Darwin Nunez: "I am sure when Darwin comes in, I imagine he'll be more down the middle and, you know, he must be frustrated a bit because you want to be starting games but you've just got to take your time. He's going to get his chance and he's got to take his chance when he gets it.

"The work rate he puts in when he comes on is incredible. I've got every confidence in him and he is only young as well. Not a lot of people realise how young he is, he's just 24 and sometimes you need to work on what you have to do when you haven't got the ball. The expectations Jurgen has you have to be on the ball when you're off the ball, if you like. And I think with Nunez is he's great when he's on the ball but off it he's got to start thinking when he is off it.

"It's about taking up those spaces off the ball so that when the ball does come you are ready for it and I think that when he realises he can get the ball that way then he will do it. It's called 'forward thinking' and that is what I always got taught at Liverpool. It's not when you have the ball, it's when you haven't and you know what is around you. That is what most probably he needs to learn a bit more of because he's done everything else right."

Luis Diaz: "He is looking to make up for lost time, without doubt. He was most probably the pick of the bunch during pre-season because he was outstanding and he's come back better than ever after all that frustration with being out for so long.

"We thought he might have had a breakdown again but he's come back and he's on fire, he's been absolutely fantastic. He's scored two already this season so that is what you're looking at for more. I am really looking forward to seeing more of him because he is a bit like Luis Suarez in a way because he is a fighter. He is a fighter and he is a winner, as well. So it's always great to have someone in the team like that."

Cody Gakpo: "He's most probably the one who has had to change the most. He was sort off the left earlier on in his career and at the moment he's playing a bit deeper. He is another who is on form and all these players can do when they start is give Jurgen a problem and say 'you can't drop me now'. That is what they all have to do and that is what Cody is doing right now. He has almost become like an attacking midfielder in a way so far this season.

"He is doing the right things but he is a striker and what he is doing now is giving Klopp a decision to make to keep him in the team because he is playing so well. I can see the similarities with Bobby Firmino in that [false nine] role but he is bigger and stronger. You have to have that football brain in that position which Firmino definitely did. Gakpo is only young and he is learning that new role all the time.

"Positive signs from Gakpo so far given he only joined in January and people forget it can sometimes take a year or so to settle in so he's got time and Liverpool are giving him that time too."

Diogo Jota: "He has come back scoring goals and he is someone who reminds me of Kevin Keegan. He is so good in the air, he works really, really hard and he is another one saying to the manager: 'How can you drop me because I am playing so well?'. He will score goals this season.

"He is the best natural finisher, without doubt. He is only small but he is the most natural finisher out of the lot of them. I would say that. Two-footed and so good in the air."

Ben Doak: "He is one of those players, you know straight away as a former player he has the right head on his shoulders. He has played for Celtic's first team as well so in that pre-season he scored but it's his positioning and the way he gets into those positions that impresses.

"He even came on for Mo Salah didn't he (at Chelsea) so that is how much Jurgen thinks of him. He needs experience and he is getting it at the moment on the bench and his time will come. He is maybe a bit unfortunate because there are five others there who are world class."