Takumi Minamino has been included in Liverpool’s Champions League squad for the knockout stages, but can he play a key role for the Reds in the tournament this season?
The Liverpool Echo have confirmed that the Japanese star has taken the place of Sepp van den Berg in the 25-man group, following his arrival from Salzburg in January.
Under the Champions League’s new rules, Minamino is eligible to play for Liverpool in the competition, whereas in the past he would have been cup-tied, having faced them whilst playing for Salzburg earlier in the campaign.
The attacking midfielder shone against the Reds in both group stage matches, particularly in his side’s 4-3 defeat at Anfield, when he fired home a brilliant volley.
His display earned him an 8.16 rating on WhoScored, on a night when he showed his off-the-ball qualities, too, making three tackles.
It has been a relatively slow start to life in England for the 25-year-old, however, with just four appearances and two starts to his name, and no goals or assists.
This is no crisis, of course, but it may be that Minamino takes time to settle in Liverpool and adjust to Jurgen Klopp’s tactics, as did the likes of Andy Robertson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabinho.
Robertson wasn’t immediately the world-class left-back he is now, finding himself behind Alberto Moreno in the pecking order to begin with.
Oxlade-Chamberlain only came alive in the second-half of his maiden season on Merseyside, as did Fabinho the following year, having taken time to find the optimum levels of fitness required to excel in this Liverpool team.
The former’s first goal at Anfield didn’t come until Boxing Day in his first season, but he soon scored stunning strikes there against Manchester City, in both the Premier League and Champions League, summing up his improved confidence.
For this reason, it is difficult to see how Minamino is going to have a big say in whether or not Klopp’s men retain their European crown this season.
Granted, the need for rotation will be obvious once the players return from the winter break, with Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup commitments all on the horizon.
Such is the depth at Klopp’s disposal, though, it is still difficult to see where Minamino will feature prominently in the matches that really matter.
This isn’t a slant on his ability as a footballer, but is Klopp really going to be confident throwing him into a European knockout game, or a pivotal league outing?
The FA Cup feels like the logical competition to play him in, starting with the trip to Chelsea in the fifth round next month.
A below-par performance in that won’t be as detrimental to one in the league or Champions League, considering it is seemingly at the bottom of Liverpool’s list of priorities.
If we are seeing Minamino regularly in the Champions League, it is likely to mean that the Reds are suffering from an injury crisis of some kind.
By the time next season rolls around, he should be fully up to speed with Liverpool’s style, but for now he should continue to be eased in, playing a bit-part role between now and May.
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