Naby Keita will not train for Liverpool on Wednesday after the club’s team of medics declared that the Guinean is still unable to training after yet another injury.
The midfielder has been injured on 10 separate occasions since joining Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2018. When he has been fit, Keita has been hugely influential for the Reds but he simply isn’t available often enough.
An informed source has told Anfield Central that Jurgen Klopp is extremely frustrated with Keita’s ongoing injury problems but, given the talent he possesses, is more than willing to persist with him.
DOHA, QATAR – DECEMBER 21: Liverpool Head Coach Juergen Klopp (L) celebrates with Naby Keita of Liverpool (R) after winning the FIFA Club World Cup Final match between Liverpool FC and CR Flamengo at Khalifa International Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED MARCIO MACHADO/EURASIA SPORT IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES.
In an ideal world, Keita would be fit and playing alongside new signing Thiago and helping Liverpool cut teams apart with his incisive forward passing and ability to drag two or three players out of position with his dribbling.
There is no denying that Keita has the ability to stand out in this Liverpool team but it’s his ability to remain fit that has been severely questioned. Anfield Central sources claim that there are no plans to sell the midfielder but if his injuries continue well into the 2021/22 season, his time on Merseyside could be brought to a close.
Klopp is desperate to see Keita overcome his injuries and remain fit for more than a couple months at a time as the Guinean dynamo is the ideal player to star in the middle of this Liverpool system.
In addition to this, Keita has been assigned his own physio that will stay with him for the foreseeable future as Liverpool look to cut out his niggling injuries. He will work with him at the training ground and at home to give him the best chance of success.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 19: Naby Keita of Liverpool is challenged by James Rodriguez and Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Liverpool and FC Bayern Muenchen at Anfield on February 19, 2019 in Liverpool, England. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY STU FORSTER/GETTY IMAGES.
The image above is the perfect example of what Keita is good at. Drawing a few players in and then breaking the lines with a tempo-setting pass to Bobby Firmino or one of the wide players.
Liverpool are doing everything they can to get Keita fit again and have been spoken about limiting the amount of red meat that the Guinean eats after Hector Bellerin’s interview with the Athletic shed light on how switching to veganism can help with recovery and with inflammation.
The article does, however, go on to say that it can increase injury proneness further down the line which is, of course, Naby Keita’s biggest issue.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 09: Naby Keita of Liverpool celebrates with teammate Roberto Firmino of Liverpafter scoring his team’s first goal with Roberto Firmino of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Liverpool and Porto at Anfield on April 09, 2019 in Liverpool, England. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY JULIAN FINNEY/GETTY IMAGES.
With Keita still not in training, he will not be part of the squad to face Manchester United and even if he had been, he wouldn’t have started due to Klopp’s belief that players need ‘rhythm’ before being thrown back into the mix.
Anfield Central has been told that Klopp hopes to have Keita involved by the time United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on the 24th for the 4th Round FA Cup tie.
