Sky pundit claims £20m Liverpool star is ‘key anytime, any place and anywhere’

Follow us on Google Discover

Brad Friedel has claimed that Thiago Alcantara is ‘key anytime, any place and anywhere’ for Liverpool, as he told the Football Show on Sky Sports.

The former Premier League goalkeeper praised Thiago’s ability on the ball and how he has the qualities to ‘speed up play’ and also ‘slow down play’ at his own will. 

Liverpool’s £20 million signing (BBC Sport) returned to the XI on Tuesday night, as Jurgen Klopp watched his team secure a much-needed 2-0 win over Ajax in the Champions League.

As the Reds proved in Naples last week, Thiago is one of their most important players, and when he is missing from that midfield, then the cracks really show. 

That’s a clear sign that more depth in quality is needed, but that refreshment hasn’t really come from the top, other than a deadline-day loan signing of Arthur Melo.

Nonetheless, Friedel was full of praise for the magical technician in the middle of the park for Liverpool and why he is so good. 

“Thiago is key anytime, any place and anywhere,” said Friedel. “The ability he has on the ball. The ability to speed up play and to slow down play in possession of the ball, that’s a quality only a few players around have.

“It’s something that is needed. I am sure the experience and confidence he gives to players around him, I am sure when players are playing next to him, they will be more at ease when he is on the field.

“So, yes, keeping Thiago fit is something that’s very important for this Liverpool squad going forward.” 

THIAGO AS IMPORTANT AS SALAH AND VAN DIJK

A number of Liverpool players have been off-colour this season, no more than Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah – the latter opened the scoring against Ajax in midweek.

But when those two are at their best, then it allows the Merseyside club to perform at their best, as they have proved over the years.

In terms of importance, Thiago could argue that he is as important as Salah and Van Dijk because, without him, the midfield looks and performs pretty average.

The best thing about Thiago is possibly his ability to get the absolute out of everyone around him, from Trent Alexander-Arnold to his fellow midfield partners and Salah making those goalscoring runs.