Danny Higginbotham has refuted the suggestion that Christian Benteke would not be suited to Jurgen Klopp's style of play at Liverpool.

A number of pundits, including Ex-Reds striker Stan Collymore, have recently raised doubts as to whether the £32m summer signing from Aston Villa would be able to implement the high pressing style that Klopp demanded of Robert Lewandowski at his former club Borussia Dortmund.

However, Higginbotham has told Sports Mole that, providing the Belgian striker is supported by pace, he should have no problem adapting to his new manager's requirements.

"Benteke would work fine. If you look at the 4-2-3-1 formations that have worked well throughout Europe over the last few years, the three players have always been quicker than the one up front. Lewandowski is quick, but he's not as quick naturally as Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Thomas Muller at Bayern Munich," said former Manchester United and Stoke City defender Higginbotham.

"When he was at Dortmund, he wasn't as quick as the likes of Marco Reus, Shinji Kagawa, Mario Gotze or Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. These are players with genuine pace. Klopp seems to want his centre-forward to not necessarily be the quickest, but perhaps drop into the number 10 position which allows the others to get beyond him.

"If you look at someone like Benteke, behind him you could have the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, who can get beyond. Then, the likes of James Milner and Jordan Henderson will protect in midfield while the full-backs can get forward and put crosses in, which also brings Benteke into the game."

Benteke, who has been ruled out of Klopp's first game in charge against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with a hamstring complaint, has scored two goals for the Merseysiders this season.