Amongst the whole host of star players that have underwhelmed for Liverpool this season, Fabinho is arguably at the summit of said list.
Up until last term, the Brazilian international was rightly classed in and amongst the elite defensive midfielders in Europe, alongside the likes of Manchester City’s Rodri and now-Manchester United lynchpin, Casemiro.
However, the same cannot be said currently, with the 28-year old looking like a leggy presence in the middle of the park.
Renowned for his uncanny ability to sweep up any signs of danger, Fabinho has particularly struggled from a purely defensive standpoint this season.
So much so that Jurgen Klopp decided to drop one of his most trusted performers in the Reds’ eventual 2-1 defeat to Manchester United earlier this campaign.
As many wonder how a player of Fabinho’s stature has endured such a cataclysmic fall from grace, former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has given his two cents on the midfield dynamo’s dip in form.
“Fabinho needs solutions around him. He is not like Thiago Alcantara who can pass to his left, right, in front or wherever because he can see all these things. But then, Thiago cannot challenge like Fabinho or provide the same balance”, he said in an interview with the Times.
Benitez continued, “In Fabinho’s case, the solutions are having players around him in the right positions, so he can give them the ball. If this happens, then he will make fewer mistakes and can continue protecting the centre-backs.”
The Spanish tactician, who led the Merseyside-based outfit to their famous Champions League triumph in 2005 concluded by showcasing his support for the out-of-sorts midfielder.
“He needs a bit of belief at the moment, but he is still a great player.”
Ultimately, Fabinho will need to recapture his excellent form from last season for Liverpool to rescue their sinking ship of a season.
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