Liverpool and Middlesbrough went head-to-head this week and the Estonia international looked the part.
It is fair to say that Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan has not had the best start to life at Anfield.
The Estonia international impressed at former club Augsburg but after starting the campaign as a first-choice option at Liverpool he quickly fell down the pecking order.
A telling moment came when he was overlooked in favour of Lucas Leiva for the Premier League clash with Bournemouth; a match the Cherries won 4-3.
But it seems Klavan might have turned a corner after his impressive showing against Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening.
That match was only the second time Klavan has played 90 minutes in the league since August and he did not disappoint.
| Passing Accuracy | Tackles Won | Duels Won | Touches | Foward Pass | Ball Recoveries | Effective Clearances | Effective Headed Clearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ragnar Klavan | 91% | 1 | 4 | 65 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 90 |
What the Liverpool defender does so well is play calmly, stepping out from the back and ensuring his pass – more often than not – finds a teammate.
That was highlighted by Klavan’s 91 per cent passing accuracy against Boro, while he also touched the ball 65 times and played 23 forward passes.
With four duels won, four ball recoveries and three effective clearances, Klavan did everything asked of him and on this evidence he deserves to keep his place for the Christmas and New Year fixtures.
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