Joint-top of the league with an incredible points-per-game, despite a tougher start than anyone else in the top six, and top of one of the more difficult Champions League groups. Liverpool’s football hasn’t always been as fluent and full-throttle as last season, but the results have been better, and perhaps that’s no accident.
It continues to be a case of Jürgen Klopp improving the players he inherited and having an insanely good hit-rate with transfers.
I had few genuine worries about Fabinho after his delayed introduction to this Liverpool side, although it’s always a little unsettling when a new player doesn’t even make the bench. Of course, there’s not room for everyone in the starting XI, which some people seem to forget when listing 15 players who “should be starting”. (Basically, Salah, Mané, Firmino, Sturridge and Shaqiri should all be starting every game, from what I sometimes see online.)
In large part my calmness over the new Brazilian was down to how Klopp introduced players last season. If you weren’t paying attention then, then why be baffled now?
This article is for subscribers only.
[ttt-subscribe-article]
