Lewis Koumas impressed again for Liverpool as he earned the Player of the Match award against Tottenham
Alexis Mac Allister and Lewis Koumas during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur(Image: Getty Images)
View Image
Lewis Koumas is continuing to make a serious impression at Liverpool and Wales, with Craig Bellamy already convinced the young forward can become a major player for his country.
Koumas was handed a rare start for Liverpool in Tuesday night's Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham and took his opportunity, leading the line with an energetic display as Andoni Iraola's side ran out 3-1 winners at Anfield. He was subsequently voted Liverpool's Player of the Match.
It was the second senior start of Koumas' Liverpool career and came with the 20-year-old operating as a central striker, with the forward's relentless pressing and running causing Spurs problems throughout his 86 minutes.
Speaking to S4C after naming his latest Wales squad, Bellamy was equally enthusiastic about what he is seeing from Koumas.
"It was a big summer for him. But it also was a big summer for him with us," Bellamy said.
"I felt like the Ghana game, the impact he had when he came on was like, 'he's ready to start here'.
"Northern Ireland, we started him, but I just felt it wasn't the Koumy I'd seen in training. But that's normal for young players just on the fringes.
"This summer I thought he was a real bonus, with the effect he had on games when he came was big.
"I see him being capable of that. He must have gone in with Liverpool this summer and really impressed.
"I've seen those moments in him, whether it's the Premier League or the Champions League where he came on the other day and looked full of energy.
"We are definitely going to try and use that."
Iraola was particularly impressed by the Welshman's work without the ball in the win over Spurs, describing his energy as "contagious" and saying he was very happy with the contribution made by his younger players.
"He does it in training every day," Iraola said.
"He is very clear what he needs to do, what the team needs. Also, the energy he shows is contagious for the rest, when you see the ones up front giving everything you are kind of forced to go, go behind and use the same intensity levels.
"I’m very happy for him."
Koumas has been included in Bellamy's Wales squad for the opening Nations League fixtures against Portugal, Denmark and Norway, with the manager clearly seeing him as an increasingly important part of his plans.
The youngster's performance against Tottenham has also generated plenty of praise from Liverpool supporters.
One fan described Koumas as a "pressing machine", while another simply wrote: "Lewis Koumas, that's how you press. With intent."
There was also praise for his willingness to run himself into the ground, with one supporter saying: "Koumas ran his heart out there. More of him, please."
Another felt the young Welshman had shown exactly the kind of intensity required at Anfield, while a separate fan praised his "intelligence with his pressing and movement".
His performance was also picked out by Liverpool Echo reporter Ian Doyle, who gave Koumas an 8/10 rating and described him as a "real pest" for Tottenham's defence because of his pressing and energy.