Naby Keita was not included in the Liverpool squad to face Atletico Madrid in their second-leg match, but James Pearce revealed that he was not aware of any injuries for the Guinea international, during a Q&A on The Athletic.
Considering the magnitude of the game for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who have the Premier League title pretty much wrapped up, this is a seriously concerning sign for Keita.
He has also not had too much time on the pitch aside from that game, having made just nine starts and seven substitute appearances across all competitions.
With this in mind, FFC writers have given their verdict about whether the 25-year-old is in danger of fading into the background at Liverpool.
Matt Dawson
“Having not been included in the squad against Atletico Madrid it would be easy to assume Naby Keita would fade into the background, particularly after it was revealed it wasn’t over fitness concerns. However, Jurgen Klopp simply cannot allow this to happen. Yes, Liverpool could bolster their midfield in the summer but it’s worth noting that their strength in depth outside of their starting XI isn’t actually that great.
“If there was one criticism you could hand to Liverpool, it would be that they’ve had too much consistency in their starting XI. You could name the starting XI each week off the back of your head. Contrast that to City, and their depth shone through as they ultimately won the treble – their achievements were a proper squad effort. If this Liverpool side are going to be considered one of the best we’ve seen in England, winning the Premier League alone this season won’t be enough. They need to assert their dominance over multiple titles in the same season – they will only do that if they inject more competition into the squad.
“After all, Andy Robertson has become lazy in his approach, simply hinting Anfield would win them their second leg with Atletico. This team needs to be kept on their toes more and that begins with increased depth. Alienating Keita completely, therefore, would be a foolish move from Klopp. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has had injury concerns throughout his career while even Jordan Henderson has missed a portion of matches in recent weeks. He needs to keep Keita – a man who understands the manager’s methods and playstyle.”
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Harry Sherlock
“This is a bit of a strange one. Keita is clearly an excellent midfield player – at Leipzig, he was exceptional, scoring 17 goals and registering 15 assists from midfield for the Bundesliga club – but he has been struggling to find his way into the Liverpool XI.
“Thus far this season, he has made just four Premier League starts and one has to feel that Jurgen Klopp doesn’t fancy him.
“He has a number of similar options – the likes of Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain can do similar roles – and is utilising them far more than Keita.
“The Guinea international will surely be thinking that he may have made a mistake in moving to Anfield; as it is, his face doesn’t seem to fit.”
No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?
Kealan Hughes
“Naby Keita has failed to live up to both his price tag of £48m and the expectation that came with it since his move from RB Leipzig in 2018, and it would seem that he is running out of time to change his fortunes.
“He has struggled with fitness issues for a large spell of his career but even when he has played it is difficult to see what his role is in the current side, and Jurgen Klopp may begin to run out of patience.”
“Keita doesn’t possess the skill in the final third to be a danger going forward, while 0.7 interceptions per game also indicate that he has to work on his defensive game, particularly as Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have nailed down the defensive positions in midfield.
“An ideal comparison to make is how Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has returned to form after a lengthy injury, with the former Arsenal player arguably the Reds’ best player against Atletico Madrid with a WhoScored rating of 8.”
Danny Lewis
“Considering the fee that he was signed for, there will surely be a point where Keita is given a real run in the team – potentially after the Reds have won their inevitable league title.
“The Guinea international has shown that he can make a difference for the team, when he scored the opener in a 2-0 win over RB Salzburg, while also being named Man of the Match by WhoScored.
“Considering that, there is definitely still a chance that Keita can make it at Anfield, however, he is getting close to the last chance saloon, so it is imperative that he takes his chances when they come if he is to avoid being pushed out of the exit door.”
Meanwhile, one Liverpool man posted on Instagram after it was confirmed that the Premier League will be suspended.
