Liverpool‘s midfield has received harsh criticism this season, and Wednesday night’s humiliating loss to Napoli is no exception for Neil Jones.
Naby Keita is scheduled to make his injury comeback to strengthen the midfield. But the 27-year-old suffered an injury at an oddly inconvenient time, just before the defeat at Old Trafford, and thus was not chosen for the Champions League team.
Meanwhile, the Guinean FA’s announced that he has been named in their squad to face Algeria and Ivory Coast in two weeks’ time. Therefore, it has created a lot of speculation regarding his injury and why he is not in the Champions League Squad.
Spectators felt that Keita was unhappy at Anfield and he is willing to leave the club this summer. Certainly, that didn’t happen as he is still at with the Red half of the Merseyside.
Neil Jones view on Keita’s situation
Neil Jones of goal.com discussed the issue in the most recent Journo Insight Show edition. Regarding Keita’s situation
“They’re not the only club that that’s happened to. Arsenal have got the same issue with Thomas Partey. Ghana have called up Thomas Partey even though he’s injured, that’s going to cause mayhem. ‘I don’t know yet’ is the answer, I have put some calls in this morning – are Liverpool planning to release him for the squad? Is it one of those things where an international manager says, ‘Well, I don’t believe he’s injured; I want to see it myself?’ I think England got into a habit of doing that in the past.
All it does is it brings clouds to the situation. Klopp has been asked about Naby Keita and he’s said ‘Yes, he’s injured.’ Liverpool can’t get away from the fact that it’s weird. Until it’s explained, it’s weird. A story emerges that he’s unhappy and that he might look to leave before the transfer window shuts. Liverpool rubbish that and say he’s going nowhere – which was true. He’s then due to come back into the squad for the Manchester United game, on the Sunday he gets an injury and he’s not in the squad and then he’s not seen since, now he’s in the Guinea squad. Let’s just say he just rocks up and plays for Guinea, you’ve got your answer, haven’t you?”
The biggest question around all the Liverpool fans is what is the situation with Naby Keita.
If he can play for Guinea on September 23. Naby can play the last four group stage matches of the Champions League too. Indeed, the Champions League team was released at a time when the midfielder was injured. But if he can recover on time for the games why isn’t he included in the Reds UCL squad?
This situation has made the spectators think that trust is broken between the player and the club. This would imply that it is quite possible that the £50 million signing will go for nothing at the end of the season or at a steep discount in January.
The Guinean FA might name their captain in the squad. As they wish to check the severity of his injury themselves. Moreover, a move would harm the relationship with his club as it would be seen as unnecessary.
