Jurgen Klopp's faith soon repaid by Liverpool's ace in the pack as Xherdan Shaqiri silences his summer doubters

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Xherdan Shaqiri would not entertain the question, but privately he would have understood the reason it had been posed.

It was late July and Shaqiri was just starting his Liverpool career. Eager to make a good impression, the Swiss had cut short his post-World Cup holiday to join Jurgen Klopp's squad on their summer tour but that small deed was not enough to soothe the doubters.

Liverpool had exploited a £12.5million release clause to take Shaqiri from relegated Stoke, but the sceptics could not understand the logic. His final year at the Bet365 Stadium might have been his best in terms of goals and assists, but his attitude, at times, was anything but impressive.

Xherdan Shaqiri earned the adulation of Anfield with two goals against Manchester United

The former Stoke City playmaker was introduced off the bench by Jurgen Klopp on Sunday

Why, then, had Klopp sanctioned his transfer? Amid the fanfare that accompanied the deals — at massive fees — for Naby Keita, Fabinho and Alisson, there was scepticism about what a man who had dropped out of the Premier League three months earlier could offer.

Having gone to great lengths to build a harmonious dressing room, this was a risk. The other doubt was why Inter Milan and Bayern Munich had both seen fit to cast him aside. Clubs of their stature take such decisions for a reason.

So, on that first day in New Jersey, Shaqiri was asked whether this was his final shot at the big time.

He stressed it wasn't, but deep down the new No 23 would have been aware that his career at the highest level was in the balance. Actions would be more significant than words.

Fortunately, his actions from that point have been nothing other than impressive. He announced himself to Liverpool's fans with a spectacular overhead kick in a friendly against Manchester United, so there is a symmetry about his best moments in a red shirt to date.

'Shaq is seizing his chance and good on him,' enthused Andrew Robertson. 'You can use it to your advantage when you go under the radar a wee bit.

'There might not be as big a deal made about your signing. It gives you time to get your feet under the table.

'Shaq has hit the ground running quicker than I did so credit to him. He has learned the way to play and he has been fantastic all season, a real threat for us and his stats this season are very good, so long may that continue.'

Andrew Robertson (centre) praised Shaqiri and admitted he's been surprised by his fine start

Shaqiri slid across the wet Anfield turf after striking against rivals United on Sunday afternoon

The key word Robertson uses is 'learned'. Shaqiri might have given the impression that he is high maintenance, but he has embraced the challenge of proving himself, responding to a very public dressing down from Klopp for not executing a tactical plan in the League Cup defeat by Chelsea in September.

Perhaps the desire to succeed is best explained by the fact that he had already seen one opportunity to join Liverpool slip through his grasp.

In the summer of 2014, when the club were restructuring after the sale of Luis Suarez, then manager Brendan Rodgers spoke to Shaqiri in Munich.

Rodgers was a fan of his impish skills and technical ability, but so too were Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter, Liverpool's chief scout and head of recruitment.

When Bayern blocked the deal, Fallows and Hunter kept tracking Shaqiri, just as they did with Mohamed Salah.

Both men were convinced he had what it takes to make a difference in games and their judgement is now being vindicated. His double from the bench in Sunday's 3-1 victory over United took his tally to five goals in eight games.

Swiss international Shaqiri has settled in at Anfield quicker than many expected him to

He has already scored five Premier League goals in seven starts and six sub appearances

He is not guaranteed regular starts, but as his former team-mate Peter Crouch wrote in his Sportsmail column in October, the ability Shaqiri has should not be questioned. The one-time joker is now looking very much like the ace in Liverpool's pack.

'I just want to improve,' said Shaqiri. 'I'm 27 — my best age to perform at a high level, so I hope the best times are coming. I'm in a good way and I want to help this club to try to achieve a lot of things and we are in a good way.

'The style, how the team plays, it's important for me too. I have qualities to be in the team, to have an impact, to decide games like United. I want that too so I try to perform always when I am on the pitch.

'I'm very happy at the moment with my performances.'

So he should be.

And judging by the ovation he received at the final whistle on Sunday from the Kop and Klopp, plenty of others are happy too.