According to a recent report by the Daily Mirror, Naby Keita is expected to be out of action for Liverpool for this Saturday’s visit of Arsenal at Anfield in the Premier League. The same source has mentioned that the Guinean midfielder has a muscle problem in the hip area which will rule him out for this weekend’s clash against the Gunners.
Keita’s Injury Concerns At Merseyside In Recent Times
The ex-Bundesliga talent had to endure a frustrating debut season in the Premier League when he failed to establish himself as a regular starter at Anfield in the previous campaign. Keita also had to experience an uneventful tournament in the African Cup of Nations earlier this summer after he could only help his nation win one out of their three group stage matches in the competition. His spell at Liverpool has been plagued with injuries thus far.
To his credit, Keita did manage to contribute by scoring a couple of vital goals for Liverpool during their title run-in towards the latter stages of the 2018-19 Premier League campaign. The Conakry born playmaker appeared in 33 matches for the Reds in the last term, finding the back of the net on three occasions while creating one assist on all fronts.
How Has The Guinea International Fared For Liverpool On The Pitch?
The 24-year-old has made just one appearance for Klopp’s team this season when he came on to play for the final 23 minutes of the FA Community Shield match against Manchester City earlier this month. Keita has a wealth of experience while playing for Guinea after representing his nation in 33 international games while scoring five goals for them so far.
The fact remains that Keita has failed to live up to the high expectations surrounding his arrival at Merseyside. However, he has still managed to show some glimpses of his brilliance last season.
The Guinean midfield ace can make some penetrative runs from midfield but has often lacked the cutting edge in the final third. He needs to improve a lot in this campaign if he wants to prove his worth and become a household name in English football.
Keita’s Unavailability Vs Arsenal: Big Blow For Klopp?
Not having Keita available for the top of the table league encounter versus Arsenal will be a blow for Jurgen Klopp as his side is currently lacking in creativity from their midfield. However, the Merseyside outfit would now hope that the former RB Leipzig dazzler can make a speedy recovery from his hip injury so that he can play an integral role for them after the international break next month.
