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Keita set for spell on sidelines

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Image for Keita set for spell on sidelines

OPINION

Naby Keita has failed to hit the heights at Liverpool since arriving from Red Bull Leipzig.

The midfielder arrived at Anfield after consecutive seasons in the Bundesliga in which he excelled as an advanced playmaker.

Keita scored and assisted eight goals in Germany to help Leipzig into the Champions League in 2017 – a competition which the Guinean international made look easy.

The 24-year-old was involved in 11 goals in the Bundesliga the season after, and also managed to score twice in the Champions League despite his side being knocked out in the group stage.

Once Keita arrived in Merseyside, it all seemed to go downhill, as he only managed to score twice in 25 appearances in the Premier League, failing to make any sort of impact in a midfield three.

Keita missed 11 games last season according to Transfermarkt, and his injury luck looks set to continue this season, as Klopp confirmed to the Mirror that the midfielder is set to be on the sidelines beyond this weekend.

The midfield ace must be on thin ice at Liverpool now, with Klopp’s patience surely wearing thin over the fitness of one of his marquee signings during his time at the Reds.

With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also returning to full fitness in midfield, Keita is quickly falling down the pecking order in the battle for a place in the middle of the park.

When you compare Keita with the former Arsenal man via WhoScored in their last full seasons at the club, it is clear to see that the African midfielder is on thin ice.

There is no hiding the fact that Klopp wants his midfielders to be able to bomb up and down the pitch at any given time, and Oxlade-Chamberlain was much more effective going forward – being involved in seven more goals.

The English international also averaged more shots and key passes, whilst also completing more dribbles per game. On top of that, Oxlade-Chamberlain took fewer bad touches per game, meaning he didn’t lose possession as often.

With Keita on the sidelines for the foreseeable future, he must be on thin ice in regards to his consistent Liverpool future under Klopp.

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