Naby Keita has scored a superb goal on international duty for Guinea, suggesting he is raring to go ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Leicester City next weekend.
The 25-year-old has only featured once for the Reds since September, having been plagued and injury and health issues.
Liverpool’s No.8 captained Guinea against Chad on Sunday and he made his presence felt.
Keita smashed home from distance to give his country the lead, in their eventual 1-1 draw in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Naby Keita Captaining Guinea and scoring from range vs Chad. https://t.co/b9p2uwsdbk
— Red (@TaintlessRed) November 15, 2020
Read Liverpool Verdict
The sight of Keita in full flow is a hugely encouraging one for Jurgen Klopp, who could view him as a key man against Leicester.
Liverpool host the Premier League leaders next Saturday, with a host injuries to contend with, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
Keita’s return could, therefore, be timely, especially if Thiago is not yet ready to feature, which remains unknown.
Fabinho is likely to partner Joel Matip at centre-back, so Keita could start alongside Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum in the middle of the park.
There is a nagging feeling that the Guinean’s Liverpool career is still waiting to fully explode, but he has the talent to be a vital player over time.
He just needs to consistently find a top level and avoid the injuries that have halted his momentum too often.
