The importance of Naby Keita staying injury free to Liverpool's title challenge
The opening 45 minutes at the Wanda Metropolitano earlier this month was a handy summarisation Naby Keita's Liverpool career to date. The Reds earned a 3-2 Champions League win in a hotly contested affair in Madrid courtesy of a Mohamed Salah brace and a thundering Keita goal. However, the manner of the victory will not have pleased head coach Jurgen Klopp.
After racing into a 2-0 lead with 13 minutes on the clock, Atletico pulled it back to 2-2 before an entertaining first half in Spain's capital drew to a close. While a series of defensive lapses didn't aid Liverpool, the spotlight fell on Keita for both goals. He was too slow to react to an Atletico short corner and beaten too easily by Thomas Lemar before the ball found its way to Koke, his shot then turned in by Antoine Griezmann.
And with 10 minutes of the half to go, Joao Felix got the better of Keita to provide for Griezmann. Keita's volley was sublime, yet his work off the ball was found wanting and, as a result, he was withdrawn at the break for Fabinho as Klopp sought to shore up the midfield. It was partly, too, to take Keita out of the firing line after the 26-year-old came under criticism from fans in a very indifferent opening 45 minutes.
When Keita joined from RB Leipzig in 2018, a permanent deal struck between Liverpool and the Bundesliga side in 2017, supporters were buzzing at the prospect of the all-action Guinean plying his trade at Anfield. Keita was excellent in his debut campaign with RB Leipzig and while he struggled to match standards his second season, the Liverpool faithful still struggled to contain their excitement at the prospect of such a talented player dominating the Premier League.
Yet as fans saw the best and worst of Keita against Atletico, the midfielder fell into the former category when Liverpool made the short trip to Old Trafford for their 5-0 mauling of Manchester United on Sunday. Keita put the Reds ahead with just five minutes on the clock, showing superb composure to tuck past David De Gea after being played in by Mohamed Salah before returning the favour for the Egyptian in the latter stages of the first half, that assist coming from one of four key passes.
His game came to a premature end as he was on the receiving end of a strong Paul Pogba tackle, the Frenchman receiving his marching orders for the challenge, and having been stretchered off, Reds fans must have feared a case of deja vu for Keita. He earned a WhoScored rating of 9.00 against United, his second best in a Premier League match, but the worry was that as he gained a head of steam, Keita would again be forced to another stint on the sidelines.
Fortunately for Liverpool, Klopp has confirmed that Keita is available for selection for Saturday's welcome of Brighton. "Naby Keita looks good; we were all surprised, but he was obviously lucky so I think he will be ready," the Reds boss said on Friday, with supporters breathing a sign of relief when pictures and videos of Liverpool's first team training went live on Twitter on Thursday evening.
It could prove to be as the season wears on that Keita remaining injury free is vital in Liverpool's title bid. Granted, the Reds earned domestic success in 2019/20 largely without Keita in the side, the former RB Leipzig man making just nine league starts in their title winning season, but he is such an important player to the side when he is firing on all cylinders.
Traditionally renowned for his ability to carry the ball from midfield into attack to help punch holes in opposition defences, Keita is rather focussing his energy on winning possession for his side. Indeed, 0.3 dribbles per 90 this season is his lowest in a Premier League campaign, whereas 3.9 tackles per 90 is his highest return. Only Alexis Mac Allister (4.7) and Sean Longstaff (4) are making more of those to make five or more Premier League appearances in 2021/22.
Of course, this quality to his game was found wanting in the win over Atletico as Keita was successful with just one of four attempted tackles, yet in the Premier League he has been a ball winning machine where needed.
By helping the midfield remain compact, this allows for the full-backs and wingers to really hurt opponents, particularly down the Liverpool right through Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah. The duo are the top two best rated players in the Premier League this season, with the latter widely considered to be the best player in the game at present. It's perhaps no coincidence then that Salah's three top rated league showings and three of Alexander-Arnold's four best rated showings have come in games Keita has started.
He, along with his central midfield teammates, are providing a solid shield for a defence that has not only conceded the third fewest goals (6) in the Premier League this season, but has allowed the attack to flourish, so much so that they have scored at least four more goals (27) than any other top-flight side. Keita has scored two of those 27 and with a return of 2.1 shots per 90 is highest in a Premier League season, Klopp is perhaps requesting the player seek to capitalise on the space the attack opens up, as he did so expertly at Old Trafford.
While it's a fairly basic approach paper - remain tight to allow your most dangerous attacking players wreak havoc in the final third - it's one that is working well for Liverpool at present. Given Liverpool haven't conceded a single league goal when the midfielder has featured, it further heightens his importance to the side at present. The issue for Keita now is remaining fit. He has never started more than 19 games in a single Premier League season, and he only managed seven starts last term. With Thiago and Curtis Jones back in full training, their availability covering the absence of Fabinho and James Milner, and Harvey Elliott still to return, Klopp has plenty of options in the middle of the park when everyone is fit and one minor injury could see Keita drop down the pecking order at Anfield once again.
For now, though, he is showing the sort of form that attracted watchful glances across Europe during his debut RB Leipzig season and as Liverpool seek to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign and really challenge for domestic honours once more, Keita is proving a very important player for Klopp's side.
