Liverpool’s blunder against Watford has officially become a blip after Tuesday’s FA Cup defeat to Chelsea, and The Athletic’s James Pearce has singled out one player who is simply not cutting it.
The Reds have now lost three of their last four matches in all competitions, and they were arguably fortunate to win against West Ham. Of course, there is no reason to panic, they could still conceivably win the Premier League with a record points tally and win the Champions League, but looking past the results, the performances are certainly cause for some concern – they have failed to even find the net in each of those three defeats.
Fabinho in particular has looked off the pace in recent weeks, as the Brazil international has struggled to get back up to speed since returning from ankle ligament damage. The 26 year-old has recorded a match rating of over seven out of ten on Whoscored just twice in his last ten matches, and Pearce is concerned about the £39m (BBC) man.
“Fabinho’s a worry for me. He’s been nowhere near the level he was at since he’s come back from his two months out with ankle ligament damage,” the journalist said after the defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Perhaps what is most concerning is that it has now been well over a month since the midfielder’s return from injury, meaning that initial rust should have dissolved by now. However, he seems a shadow of his former self, losing the ball in the build-up to Chelsea’s opening goal and recording the lowest match rating of anyone on the pitch, via Sofascore. With reports suggesting the club are eyeing Atletico Madrid enforcer Thomas Partey, Fabinho may well be running out of time to prove he can return to his best form.
Liverpool fans, is Fabinho’s form a concern? Do you think he will return to his best? Join the discussion in the comments below!
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