Martin Skrtel has suggested that Liverpool will benefit from the competition for places at the club this season.

Despite losing last season's top scorer Luis Suarez to Barcelona, Brendan Rodgers quickly reacted to bring in a number of new recruits, and Skrtel is hoping that the number of players battling for a starting spot will have a positive impact on results.

"We have lost Luis Suarez, but we have also brought in a few more players so now I am hoping that it is going to work, and we are going to be even better and even stronger," the Slovakian told members of the media. "There's a lot of competition for places, but that can only be good for us as players.

"When you know that someone is waiting to play in your position it pushes you to work hard in every single training session and every game so that you can show the manager how good you are.

"That can only be good for the team, and it's up to the manager who starts."

Liverpool, who finished second in the Premier League last season, meet defending champions Manchester City on Monday night.