Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita and his injury issues have been a big problem for the Merseyside club, according to journalist Dean Jones. 

The Lowdown: Keita's season so far

After making a five-minute cameo in the Community Shield win over Manchester City in July, the midfielder has spent the rest of the season out of action through injury.

Speaking on Tuesday ahead of Liverpool's Carabao Cup game against Derby County, Pep Lijnders revealed that Keita has been training individually but didn't rule out the possibility of the midfielder being available for this weekend's Premier League clash against Southampton.

Taking this into account, the 27-year-old's injury woes have been the subject of discussion and criticism from some quarters.

The Latest: 'Unbelievably frustrating'

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones was unimpressed by Keita and the impact that his injury issues have had on Liverpool, who have been beset by similar problems to other players this season.

The journalist said: "It’s just unbelievably frustrating for everyone involved. Naby Keita is such a gifted footballer and this should have been a brilliant transfer, but he’s been unavailable for 30 games over the past year and it has hurt Liverpool. There’s no doubt about that."

The Verdict: A continuous problem for Liverpool

Back in 2017, it was revealed that the Reds had agreed to pay £48m to sign Keita  from RB Leipzig, with the player moving to Anfield the following summer.

Since then, the Guinea international has made 117 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and supplying seven assists along the way.

In terms of his injury issues, the midfielder has missed 84 games in total during his time as a Liverpool player as a result of picking up a variety of different injuries, nearly as many matches as he's played in four-and-a-bit years at the club.

With such a significant and unfortunate injury record to his name, it's easy to see why Jones has highlighted how frustrating it has been for Keita and the Reds during his time at Anfield.