Scott Minto says watching Fabinho this season is like watching “his twin brother” after disappointing performances with Liverpool.
The midfielder has been one of Jurgen Klopp’s most trusted performers since joining the club in 2018, anchoring the Reds’ midfield for a successful couple of years for the club.
However, with Klopp’s side struggling to deliver results this term, every member of the Liverpool squad is under intense scrutiny.
Liverpool suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Leeds United on Saturday with Crysencio Summerville picking up a late winner.
However, it was Rodrigo’s first goal that drew the most criticism with errors from Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho clearing the way for the Spanish star to open the scoring at Anfield.
While Minto believes the Reds are suffering from a hangover from the outstanding run last term in all four competitions, he has singled out the 29-year-old for being a shell of himself.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Minto said: “It’s against a Leeds side who have a manager under heavy pressure from the fans with those probably expecting a 5-0 thrashing or something.
“It was the worst possible start and I think it goes back to last season because think how close they came to winning the treble, something no one has ever done.
“They played in every game possible and you can’t begin to understand how much it will have cost them physically and mentally.
“In the Community Shield you see them against Manchester City and they were great and you think they’re going to be right again.
“Injuries have certainly played their part, but to continue to play as Liverpool have played is difficult.
“I have nothing but respect for the way Liverpool have played under Jurgen Klopp for the last four or five years, I have the same respect for Pep Guardiola, but I think it’s easier to play in a Pep team than in a Klopp team because they make the ball do the work.
“For Liverpool to keep the intensity going, game after game, year after year, that goal almost sums up Liverpool this season.
“You are talking about Henderson, yes, but you are talking about Fabinho at the moment. Who is he at the moment? I don’t know who he is, it’s like his twin brother who is playing at the moment. He doesn’t is certainly not the player he has been in recent years.
“Gomez will have a lot of stick because he’s the most obvious, but Virgil van Dijk has to expect there to be a mistake and think of the worst case scenario. He doesn’t even look when Gomez sends the ball to Rodrigo who is half a meter ahead of him in a race that Van Dijk should win.
“He has to think about this worst case scenario and if Alisson is actually screaming, even though Gomez hasn’t been watching, you know there’s a voice in a certain direction where you’re not playing the ball towards goal but to where Alisson actually was.
“It’s a number of things, but it’s Jurgen Klopp asking his players to play in a certain way that’s unsustainable for five, six, seven or eight years, where Pep’s style is if you get good players.”
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