"The more playing time Bradley Barcola racks up, the more rhythm we will see him develop."

That is the verdict of former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam, who feels the club's £123m summer signing deserves patience as he adapts to the demands of the Premier League this season.

The 24-year-old forward needed seven games to find the back of the net for his new club, but he did it in style with a hat-trick against LASK in the Champions League.

"He has obviously been signed for the big moments," Adam told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "We haven't quite seen him do that just yet but he didn't really have a pre-season, after trying to get a transfer all summer, so he probably hasn't arrived at Anfield as sharp as he would've wanted.

"The more playing time he racks up, the more rhythm we will see him develop. The more playing time he has alongside his team-mates, the more we will understand his potential.

"Scoring a hat-trick against LASK in the Champions League is a brilliant achievement, but Liverpool will be needing that sort of performance against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.

"But that hat-trick will do him the world of good. It was a big moment for him in his Liverpool career, but now we will be looking for him to show that level on a consistent basis until the next international break."