Fabinho vs Henderson: Who should start for Liverpool against Brighton?
Liverpool take on Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, but who should start: Jordan Henderson or Fabinho?
Neither midfielder has been picked in the first XI for Jurgen Klopp this campaign as James Milner, Gini Wijnaldum and Naby Keita have been the preferred three.
Fabinho was signed for over £40 million and hasn’t made a single appearance yet, while it seems as if Henderson has failed to regain fitness following his World Cup break.
Milner has been in excellent form, while Wijnaldum has taken his chance in the first team with both hands. Klopp has deployed the Dutchman in a more withdrawn role, but the former Newcastle United man appears to be excelling.
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With only four days to recover from the win over Crystal Palace, Klopp may take the opportunity to rotate and hand Henderson or Fabinho their first Premier League start of the campaign. But which one should get a chance?
The advantage Henderson has over the Brazilian is that Klopp knows exactly what he’s getting from the England international. With tireless work rate and leadership skills, the Mackam certainly adds an extra dimension to the side. His passing ability, although underrated, is definitely important in keeping the side ticking along.
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On the other hand, if the gaffer brought Fabinho in for Milner it would allow Wijnaldum to play a more advanced role – which he is traditionally good at. The Dutchman’s debut season for the Magpies yielded 11 goals and five assists from 40 games in all competitions, and his well timed arrivals into the box can cause chaos.
There is also some pressure on Klopp to bring the Brazilian into the side. His price tag, coupled with the fact that Fabinho was brought in as a specialist defensive midfelder (a role the team needs), are compelling reasons to hand the former Monaco man a run out.
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Both players bring different skills into the game, but it should be Fabinho who gets the nod. He is fresher, having missed out on World Cup duty, and would allow the Liverpool midfield to break forward. Henderson is unlucky to miss out, though.