Matt Le Tissier has backed Danny Ings to be a hit at Southampton after three injury-plagued years with Liverpool.
When Ings move to Anfield from Burnley in 2015, much was expected of him after he netted 11 times in 35 Premier League outings the previous season, yet serious knee issues prevented him from making the mark he would have wished.
Over the course of his three seasons at Anfield, the 26-year-old mustered just 25 appearances, scoring four goals.
He has since moved to the south coast on loan, where he has scored a couple of goals already, and club legend Le Tissier believes he will be a huge asset to the team.
“The most important thing as a forward at a new club is to get early goals,” he said to Sky Sports. “He's got a couple so far so it's a really good start and long may it continue. He is such a quality footballer and he's really given the whole club a big lift. I think that's what was needed as the club has struggled for goals a bit over the last few seasons.
“He'll raise the standard of the players around him as well. I'm sure he would have picked up some good things at Liverpool. I know he was injured a lot, but he's still had a decent amount of time out on the training ground and if you can't learn from training alongside the players they had at Liverpool then there's no point being in football.”
Ings scored his first Saints goal in a 2-1 loss against Everton then notched a second before the international break against Crystal Palace in a 2-0 victory.
On Monday, the man once capped by England is aiming to score his first home goal for the club when they tackle Brighton at St Mary’s.
Southampton have an obligation to buy Ings for £20 million at the end of his loan deal, with the forward contracted to the club until 2022.