Liverpool have been through the gauntlet this season, but they are determined to give every last bit of strength they have left until the very end. The Reds are in a war with Chelsea and Leicester City to finish in the top four of the Premier League, and they won arguably their most important battle in that war this Thursday night at Old Trafford, defeating rivals Manchester United 4-2.
By now, you have probably heard this statistic before, but it bears repeating. When Fabinho has played in midfield since October, the Reds have won five in five. They have never lost. They have never even drawn.
Fabinho remains an underrated commodity outside of Liverpool. But fans of the club – and the astute fans elsewhere in Europe – understand that the defensive midfielder is one of the best at his position.
The former Real Madrid and Monaco man is versatile enough to play at center back and right back, and the Reds have been forced to use him in defense more than they’d like this season due to the ludicrous amount of injuries they’ve sustained in central defense.
Fabinho was quietly sold for Liverpool against Manchester United
Fabinho is an adept center back. But he is truly a world-class defensive midfielder, standing up there with the likes of Casemiro in terms of quality. Am I saying he is the *best* at the position? No. But he’s not far off either.
He put together another quality performance against Manchester United. According to WhoScored.com, Fabinho had two tackles and two interceptions while also drawing three fouls on the offensive end.
The midfield trio of Georginio Wijnaldum, Thiago Alcantara, and Fabinho should be one of the best in the Premier League. On paper, they have it all. Wijnaldum is a ball-carrying midfielder who can contribute to goals. Thiago is one of the best in the world at controlling games, speaking both offensively as a deep-lying passer and defensively as an intelligent reader of the game. And then Fabinho is an all-action defensive presence who is smart and physical, with additional offensive quality that often goes overlooked.
Fabinho is the final piece of the puzzle who makes it all tick and helps Thiago and Wijnaldum focus even more on their offensive strengths. An elite defensive midfielder can make all the difference to the rest of the midfield, and the fact that Liverpool always win, even in this nightmare season, with Fabinho in the lineup is a testament to both his quality and importance.
At 27 years old, the man is in the prime of his career, and nothing but “tough luck” can stop him. He was an unsung hero against Manchester United, though, of course, Liverpool fans are among the few who are quick to sing his praises. They know that while defensive midfielders get overlooked, Fabinho can never be overlooked by the true fans of the club he goes to battle for.