Former Premier League defender Steve Howey is not surprised that makeshift Liverpool defender Fabinho has picked up another injury.

Fabinho out

The club announced on Friday, before their 3-1 defeat to Leicester City, that the Brazilian would not make the trip to the King Power Stadium due to a "muscle issue."

Fabinho has been utilised by Jurgen Klopp as a centre-back this season in light of the club's catastrophic injury crisis in their defensive department, with all three of the senior centre-backs that they started the campaign with being ruled out with season-ending injuries.

Speaking exclusively to Football Transfer Tavern, Howey reacted to Fabinho's latest setback and highlighted that the way that Liverpool plays as a possible reason why players like the Brazilian have been picking up injuries.

"It doesn't surprise me that they are picking up injuries because of the level of intensity that they've been going at," he said.

"They have been going full tilt for over two years. That takes a toll on your body, 100%, and you will pick up little niggling injuries. It's just unfortunate.

"But obviously, with Gomez and Van Dijk, these injuries are not fatigue injuries, they're injuries which have happened not through fault. But obviously, you will get the other ones.

"It just goes to show that even if you have a strength and depth in the Premier League and you're missing your top players for any length of time, you're going to suffer from it."

Transfer Tavern Verdict

It is easy to conclude that Jurgen Klopp is making excuses for his side's poor form at this time but with a full-strength team, they may not have dropped the points that they have done over the past two months.

Howey is right too, Liverpool have been massively unlucky. But sticking with most of the same 11 players for the past two years was likely to eventually take its toll, and now is that time for the Reds.

We don't think the Merseysiders will be in the mix to win the Premier League at the end of the season. Now is the chance to put all of their eggs into the Champions League basket and see if they win their seventh crown.

In other news, Liverpool fans react as FSG refuse to sanction fee for summer target.