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Fabinho endures monster trip

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Image for Fabinho endures monster trip

OPINION

International breaks will always be divisive for football fans. 

For many, they are a welcome change of emphasis, and a chance to see players and nations clash in ways that would usually be unimaginable. For others, they represent an unnecessary risk of serious injury and fatigue, as well as disrupting the non-stop action of a domestic campaign.

And that’s almost certainly how many Liverpool fans are feeling as they begin to settle down for another weekend of Premier League action.

Sunday’s match against Manchester United might not be the colossal clash that it once was, but it still represents a very real and potentially painful banana skin for the Kop.

A win would extend the 100% start to the new season to nine matches, whereas a loss would not only bring that momentum to a juddering halt, but also mean the bragging rights are given to their bitter rivals from just up the road.

And so, undoubtedly, the Reds will feel as if they need everybody at their very best when they visit Old Trafford.

Which is why Fabinho’s recent excursions with Brazil are particularly frustrating.

According to Sky Sports, the 25-year-old travelled 13,678 miles during the international break, but only played a grand total of 10 minutes for the five time world champions.

Admittedly, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino underwent the same amount of globetrotting as well, but at least in their cases they got full matches under their belt.

For Fabinho, he must have been sat wondering what the point of it all was, and for Kopites, they must surely be fuming that such an integral member of their side has been forced to travel so far for no apparent reason.

The South American has a pass completion rate of 87.3% this season, as well as having made 2.8 tackles per game in a stellar start to the new campaign, as per Whoscored, but the hope will be that he isn’t feeling any ill effects of such a wasted trip.

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