Defender Joel Matip is hopeful that Liverpool's current ruthlessness can frighten his side's Premier League opponents.

The summer signing from Schalke has settled in superbly and has already made a difference to the Liverpool back-four, coming out on top against Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Diego Costa in recent weeks.

Matip has quickly bought into Jürgen Klopp's wish for high intensity football and has set his sights on using this to strike fear into Liverpool's rivals.

When asked about his objectives, he told the Liverpool Echo: "To play as a team and to have a great spirit together."

The Cameroonian added that he wants to help the side "to be compact" and to allow his teammates to use their skills "to press teams so that no opponent is safe with the ball" and so that they "always have to be afraid that we are coming."

Defensive improvement key for Reds, insists Matip

While the goals fly in for Liverpool up top, Matip remains keen to help strengthen his team defensively and ensure the clean sheets begin to come.

The Reds are yet to keep a shut-out, conceding an avoidable goal from a cheaply-conceded corner in Saturday's 5-1 thrashing of Hull City at Anfield.

He added: "We will work hard towards getting better and keeping clean sheets because sometimes we may only be able to score one goal and we want that to be enough to win."

Matip said that a solid defence "always helps" the team to "win games" and called it "always necessary" for "a good team."

Defender believes no other league can match Premier League's competitiveness

As a free transfer, the 25-year-old looks to be an inspired summer signing already.

He is already a first choice centre-back under Klopp and has taken to the physicality and quick tempo of the Premier League in impressive fashion.

He continued: "There is so much competition in this league - no other country has the same level of competition."

Matip spoke of the "high tempo" of the Premier League and the Bundesliga, where he played with Schalke, but added that there "are many more situations where there is a greater physicality" in England, calling the need "to use your body more" the "most specific difference" between the two divisions.

It's been a great start to life on Merseyside for Matip, in what has been a promising start to the season - now he, his manager and his teammates will hope their first league clean sheet is on the way.