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The journey wasn't all easy for Fabinho. The introduction to his life in the Premier League was gradual, but it was worth the wait.
During the first half of last season, manager Jurgen Klopp gave Fabinho some leeway to get used to the physicality of the Premier League. It was during the second half that Klopp unleashed the Brazilian. Without a doubt, Fabinho was the best midfielder in the second half of last season for Liverpool. The beautiful style of play, the confident counter-attacking, and even the Champions League triumph: Fabinho left an indelible mark on Liverpool's charge in that latter half.
His style of play
Fabinho is a deep-lying midfielder for Liverpool who stops the opposition attacks and regains possession with tackles and interceptions. He is the player who brings balance to the midfield and can dictate the play from the center of the park. In the 21 games that Fabinho started for Liverpool, they won 17 of them while drawing four. Pretty impressive!
People often praise the creativity and crossing of Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold but, Fabinho plays an important role in offering the creativity to Liverpool attacks. The Brazilian is crucial in winning the ball from the opposition and launching the fullbacks forward. His forward balls have improved considerably. Liverpool fans won't forget that assist for Sadio Mane's goal against Manchester United.
Going deep into the stats of the last season, we can clearly understand how impressive Fabinho is in that deep-lying position. He made 2.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions and 56.97 passes per game. He boasts a tackle success percentage of 54% and is a shield for the defense.
This time around, Fabinho has started well for the Reds as they crushed Norwich in the Premier League opener. The stats tell the story pretty well: Eight tackles, two interceptions and ten recoveries. A solid beginning. Klopp considers the Brazilian as a crucial part of his midfield. The German might experiment with his other two midfielders, but there is no chance anyone can displace Fabinho from his spot.
What's next
With Liverpool pushing for the Premier League trophy they have long for for long, Fabinho has a crucial role to play in the quest. It was N'Golo Kante's presence that won Leicester their fairy-tale title. Now, it could be Fabinho's turn to do his part for the Anfield faithful who would have won the League last time, but for a certain team in Manchester.
Also See : Durand Cup, Durand Cup Schedule, Calcutta Football League
