OPINION
An hour into the game at Old Trafford, Liverpool fans will have been biting their nails at the potential of losing their impressive unbeaten run.
Before the clash with their fierce rivals on Sunday, the Reds had only lost once in their previous 47 Premier League games and were one goal down thanks to a first-half strike by Marcus Rashford.
The game was not going anywhere for Liverpool, who struggled to get in behind the Red Devils’ defence until Jurgen Klopp made a change to his system.
On came Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita as the German decided to push forward one of his midfield three so that there was an extra man in behind Roberto Firmino.
That gave Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson the freedom of Old Trafford, and it was the Scottish international’s cross that led to Lallana’s goal which secured a point for the away side.
Keita particularly impressed when coming on and making a difference, and the change in style certainly helped him look like his former self in the heart of midfield.
The Guinean international shined in his brief cameo where he completed 22 passes in 13 minutes, only four less than Henderson managed in the opening 71 minutes of the clash [Liverpool Echo].
That surely proves that Keita is more than capable of flourishing for the Reds and give him the freedom that he so desperately craves in the middle of the park to allow him to make a positive impact.
Klopp has changed his system mid way through games a number of times already in this campaign, and that will certainly give Keita hope that he is set for a bigger role further down the line.
With a number of games coming up in different competitions, Keita must prepare himself to be ready to take his opportunity, and prove that he can replicate his impressive cameo against Manchester United.
