Liverpool legend John Barnes has said that Reds manager Jurgen Klopp should have started Fabinho, not James Milner, in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Thursday.
The German opted for a midfield three of Milner, Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum against the champions, and Barnes feels that was a mistake.
“James Milner is now at at an age, coming up to 32, who is an honest player who works really hard,” he told beIN SPORTS. “But I thought Fabinho would have started, because Klopp’s disappointed that they’ve not put enough pressure on Manchester City…
“[Sergio] Aguero did all his work outside the box, going wide early on, lots of touches, but nothing in the box. And the one time he got in the box on the end of a cross you saw what happened.”
"He's an honest player who works really hard but I thought Fabinho should've started."@officialbarnesy reckons Klopp made a big mistake starting Milner in midfield.#beINPL #MCILIV ? HD11https://t.co/qdBcW2pUHI pic.twitter.com/YmE5LAtow9
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) January 3, 2019
OPINION
You can see where Barnes is coming from, here. Liverpool’s midfield really struggled to gain a foothold on the game for the first 50 odd minutes of the team’s clash with City, and that’s why Fabinho was eventually introduced in Milner’s place after 57 minutes. Yes, the Reds lacked creativity in the first half, but as Barnes says, they also failed to put enough pressure on City’s danger men. Fabinho would have done that, he’s shown that he can carry out that role in recent weeks. Klopp’s team seemed flat for much of Thursday’s contest and it’s doubtful that Fabinho on his own would have been enough to remedy that in the first half, but throwing Milner straight back in after injury may not have been the wisest decision from the German. Aguero did have too much space and perhaps Fabinho’s inclusion would have seen one South American reduce the other’s impact.
