OPINION
Paul Robinson claimed that Liverpool may have encouraged midfielder Fabinho to get a yellow card against Crystal Palace so that he only misses the game with Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Reds midfielder is set to miss Saturday’s clash with Brighton through suspension, as per the Liverpool Echo, due to his yellow card for a foul on Crystal Palace’s Cheick Kouyate being his fifth booking of the season.
The Sky Sports pundit stated that Liverpool being without Fabinho was a “big blow” but suggested Jurgen Klopp may have wanted him to serve his suspension against Brighton rather than him be at risk of missing any matches in the club’s busy December schedule.
“I think it’s a big blow for Liverpool not to have Fabinho as I think he’s been the first name on the teamsheet,” Robinson told Football Insider.
“But I think coming into the Christmas period carrying four yellow cards, call me cynical, but they may have looked at the fixtures and said Brighton at home why don’t you pick up a yellow card and have a rest for that one?
“People talk like players don’t do that or players say we didn’t do that on purpose but I’ve been in dressing rooms, that happens.
“Look at Liverpool’s fixture list, they’ve got Everton, Bournemouth away, Watford at home, Villa, West Ham, Leicester, they’ve got some tough fixtures coming up so to have Fabinho carrying four yellow cards into those fixtures, wouldn’t have been ideal.
“Whereas if he gets the card before December starts, and misses the game at home to Brighton, a game where they’re not going to need him, it’s very sensible.”
Robinson’s theory does seem water-tight and the former England international points out that he has been in dressing rooms where teams have orchestrated when a player’s suspension occurs, so it does happen.
Yet while many may find it sneaky, Klopp surely should take a bow if Robinson is right as not to have a suspension hanging over Fabinho’s head throughout December is a blessing as he is a very important player.
The 26-year-old has played in all but one Premier League game with him missing the clash with Aston Villa.
You have to think Klopp only didn’t risk Fabinho in that game as he was at risk of getting a suspension at that point, and the next clash was the big one against Manchester City.
Fabinho has averaged an impressive rating of 7.06 on WhoScored across his 12 league outings this season and has been a superb defensive presence in the club’s midfield.
The 26-year-old has won 1.4 of his aerial duels on average per game as well as averaged 2.5 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per match across his league outings. (Source: WhoScored)
Fabinho has also averaged 1.1 key passes per match as well as contributed one assist and one goal to the cause already this season, and with him being good in a defensive-sense as well as attacking-sense it shows what a miss he’ll be.
However Brighton have lost three of their last five games, so you feel the Reds will still be able to overpower them without Fabinho, so Klopp should take credit for making sure Fabinho is only missing the game with them, if Robinson is right with his claim.
