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Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes new signing Christian Benteke could be the difference between the club making the Champions League or not.
The £32.5million Belgian scored his first goal in front of Anfield's famous Kop against Bournemouth on Monday night, as Liverpool made it two wins out of two with another 1-0 victory.
Rush, who knows a thing or two about scoring in Red having netted a club record 346 times in two spells at the club between 1980 and 1996, also says he was "excited" by the signing of the 24-year-old.
Show all 17 1 /17Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 17) Jefferson Montero (Swansea City) - new entry Branislav Ivanovic then Daryl Janmaat felt the full force of the Ecuadorian's devastating start to the season - Sunderland's Billy Jones is the next in line for a public humiliation. Last fixture: W - 2-0 - Newcastle Next fixture: Sunderland (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 16) Dmitri Payet (West Ham) - new entry Has had an impressive start to the season and scored his first goal for the Hammers last weekend. With Andy Carroll and Enner Valencia limiting Slaven Bilic's options up top, the attacking midfielder will need to chip in with a few more goals. Last fixture: L - 1-2 - Leicester Next fixture: Bournemouth (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 15) Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace) - down 6 Palace were pretty unlucky not to pick up a point against the Gunners - Francis Coquelin should have seen red for a couple of fouls that could have seen him pick up a second yellow. Cabaye matched his counterparts in yellow and Palace will hope to build on a solid start at home to Villa. Last fixture: L - 1-2 - Arsenal Next fixture: Aston Villa (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 14) Nathan Redmond (Norwich City) - new entry Never mind the atrocious defending, it was a lovely goal by Redmond who looks like he could be a break-out star for the Canaries as they fight relegation. A good showing against a solid Stoke team will see his stock rise further Last fixture: W - 3-1 - Sunderland Next fixture: Stoke City (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 13) Salomon Rondon (West Brom) - new entry A club record price-tag will come with hefty expectations. Rondon came on in the closing stages against Watford and didn't have much of a chance to show what he can do - the powerful Venezuelan will want a good showing against the Premier League's current 'crisis club', Chelsea. Last fixture: D - 0-0 - Watford Next fixture: Chelsea (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 12) John Stones (Everton) - new entry How apt that the Chelsea target, the man being touted as a replacement for John Terry, comes up against Manchester City and Sergio Aguero - the man who many have said ended the career of the former England captain at the Etihad last Sunday. A strong showing against Aguero will only reinforce Jose Mourinho's desire to bring the budding star to Stamford Bridge. Last fixture: W - 3-0 - Southampton Next fixture: Man City (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 11) Troy Deeney (Watford) - down 6 Watford didn't create many chances against a West Brom side content to pick up a point at Vicarage Road last Saturday. Southampton will, presumably, show a bit more willingness to attack - which could give Deeney the sniff at goal he didn't have against the Baggies. Last fixture: D - 0-0 - West Brom Next fixture: Southampton (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 10) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - down 2 Another week, another sluggish showing from Wayne Rooney as United's main striker. Memphis Depay impressed in the Champions League but Pedro has now gone to Chelsea - the pressure is on for Rooney to deliver as United's front man, but can he do it anymore? Newcastle's porous defence may help. Last fixture: W - 1-0 - Aston Villa Next fixture: Newcastle (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 9) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) - up 2 The England striker was 'too tired' to play more than an hour against Stoke last week, but will Mauricio Pochettino really risk resting his talisman from the start? Saido Berahino is still a target while Clinton N'Jie has arrived, but isn't really a central striker. Last fixture: D - 2-2 - Stoke Next fixture: Leicester (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 8) Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City) - up 6 What a start for the Algerian, three goals in two games for Claudio Ranieri's surprise package. Both wins were extremely impressive and well deserved - a win against an unconvincing Spurs team could do wonders for their confidence. Last fixture: W - 2-1 - West Ham Next fixture: Tottenham (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 7) Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) - down 3 The boos rang out early on in the Stadium of Light and Sunderland already look doomed. Defoe struggled to get a sight at goal against newly-promoted Norwich and has now been linked with a move to former club Bournemouth. We can't say we blame him. Last fixture: L - 1-3 - Norwich Next fixture: Swansea (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 6) Romelu Lukaku (Everton) - up 9 That's more like it. When you pay £28m for a striker you expect something special and that was the exact performance Lukaku delivered at St Mary's. The continued inclusions of Ross Barkley and Arouna Kone, especially, to offer genuine support to the striker have helped - he is now getting chances made for him. Up next is a big test against a rare physical equal, Vincent Kompany. Last fixture: W - 3-0 - Southampton Next fixture: Man City (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 5) Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - down 4 Like the rest of the Chelsea team, Eden Hazard has looked completely out of sorts in the opening two weeks of the season. Gone is the vibrant attacking threat who has been compared to the likes of Messi and Ronaldo, in his place is a jaded winger without the energy to beat a man. One feels a fully refreshed Hazard may have scored that chance to make it 1-1 at the Etihad. Last fixture: L - 3-0 - Man City Next fixture: West Brom (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 4) Christian Benteke (Liverpool) - new entry Brendan Rodgers said that he'd never had a striker like Benteke at Liverpool, someone who could give him a 'different dimension'. His physicality and ability to hold up the ball will be needed at the Emirates where Liverpool will try to out-muscle the Gunners. He is still trying to find a real connection with his new team-mates but there have been signs of it in the opening two matches Last fixture: W - 1-0 - Bournemouth Next fixture: Arsenal (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 3) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) - new entry As long as Sergio Aguero stays fit, Manchester City will be among the favourites for the title. There is no other striker like him in world football - so adept with his movement in and around the box that he makes world class defenders look like Sunday league players. He should've scored more against Chelsea but even though he didn't put the chances away, his ability to find space is a sight to behold. Last fixture: W - 3-0 - Chelsea Next fixture: Everton (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 2) Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - new entry The Chilean is just so crucial to any hopes Arsenal have at the title this season. A week earlier in the defeat to West Ham, the Gunners looked so lost that Wenger was forced to rush his main man back despite promising him a longer rest. His effort and work rate set the tone for the rest of the team and his quality makes him their go-to guy. Arsenal are a completely different prospect with him in the team. Last fixture: W - 2-1 - Crystal Palace Next fixture: Liverpool (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 3 1) David Silva (Manchester City) - up 1 Silva is a singular talent in the Premier League. There are others like him - Juan Mata, Mesut Ozil - but neither of those two players has matched the level that Silva can reach when he is on form. Chelsea had no answer for the brilliant Spaniard, who makes the rest of the Manchester City team tick. The biggest difference between the two teams last week. Last fixture: W - 3-0 - Chelsea Next fixture: Everton (a)
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"It’s very early doors but I was very excited when we signed him," said Rush, speaking exclusively to 888sport. "Benteke could be the difference between sixth and fourth and top four is a realistic target we have to be aiming at."
The Anfield legend won five League titles, the FA Cup three times, the League Cup five times and two European Cups with Liverpool in his 660 matches.
He added that Mario Balotelli struggled at the club because, despite his great talent, he failed to work hard for the team.
Rush scored a record 346 times in two spells at Liverpool (GETTY IMAGES) "All the supporters want is for a player to give 100 per cent. They would give anything to be on that pitch themselves and if they were good enough to be on the pitch they’d die for the club. That’s how much it means to them."
Read more of Ian Rush's full interview on Balotelli, Raheem Sterling and Liverpool's trip to Arsenal at 888sport.com
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