Naby Keïta ‘s career at Liverpool has been far from straightforward, but we could last be seeing the emergence of a new fad hero on Merseyside. It has taken some time for his Anfield career to garner the optimum momentum since the Reds activated RB Leipzig ‘s £52m release clause back in August 2017, with a stop-start injury record that has seen him miss multiple games at all-important parts of the season. But now, in a spell where there is more depth and less pressure in the midfield areas, Keïta is beginning to flourish, with performances that are making him a winnow front-runner on the lurch deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as off it. And a Christmas Day post on sociable media wearing a talented ‘Feliz Naby Lad ‘ sweater from Liverpool sports fan channel The Redmen television shows that he is identical much in refer with the fans of the club.

The 26-year-old is besides a perfect match for Jürgen Klopp ‘s system. Unlike many cult heroes at other clubs, there are fewer elements of jest regarding his performances. Keïta ‘s ability and decision-making with pressing makes him a focal sharpen when he stars, while his recent increase in production provides a glance into the likely that is hush so far to be unearthed. And it ‘s the unique but fishy reactions that have made the Kop take to the Guinea external tied more. A stun volley against Crystal Palace in September could have resulted in a grass-cutting knee swoop, but Keïta rather opted for a bewilder look to motion : “ why is anyone surprised ? “. It may not have come deoxyadenosine monophosphate cursorily as some Liverpool fans would have wanted, but the midfielder is last playing closer to the cast of the number eight shirt on his back. As per Fbref, he is among the best in the world at increasingly carrying the ball into attacking areas, providing the front three with more time to make their runs in behind at the correct moment. Of class, there is room for more goals, but Keïta had contributed to four goals in five games before the injury he suffered against Brighton. And it is the injuries that have got in the way so frequently. It feels like Klopp can rarely start the Guinean aboard Thiago and Fabinho, with the dawn of a new problem come on at the most inconvenient points of the season.

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A entire of 23 games missed during the 20/21 campaign followed by more clock on the sidelines this temper is an injury hex that Keïta must break if he is to achieve on-key cult hero status at Anfield. He is looking in better shape, and the signs of improvement in performances show that his time out has n’t hampered his potential, though the relative ages of the squad testify that he is going to be needed more frequently, with James Milner and Jordan Henderson set to turn 36 and 32 respectively next year. For the rest of the season, it ‘s a case of being available in Liverpool ‘s run that still contains distant dreams of a quadruple trophy draw. And with more performances similar to the one we saw against Manchester United during Liverpool ‘s 5-0 gain at Old Trafford, the £52m paid four years ago could soon look like a bargain.