Jurgen Klopp should pencil in Naby Keita for midweek return

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Jurgen Klopp should look for Naby Keita to return to action next week. The Guinean has been out with an injury in recent weeks.

Jurgen Klopp believes Naby Keita could return to the Liverpool squad against Wolves on Sunday. He faces a fitness check, of course, but it appears the 25-year-old will be back soon.

But all things considered, we believe Klopp should wait until Midtjylland in midweek before giving Keita his return to action.

Caution

Keita last played in the first game back after the international break against Leicester City. He managed 54 minutes before being added to Liverpool’s incredibly long injury list and hasn’t played since.

That games was on November 22nd and it was Keita’s first start since October 4th. So in short, he hasn’t played much football for Liverpool.

In that nearly two-month span, Keita played three times. He got 24 minutes away at Atalanta and played two full games for Guinea.

But that’s all. 204 minutes in 49 days.

Thus we don’t think a game against a side as good as Wolves is the right one for Keita to make a comeback. We certainly wouldn’t start him and unless the Reds have a big lead late on, we’re not sure he’d make a good sub.

Keita has struggled in high-intensity games ever since his £53m arrival and we expect Sunday to be just that. It’s just too much for a return from injury for a player like Keita.

Fortunately, the following fixture against Midtjylland seems perfect. Liverpool are already through in their Champions League group as winners – so this is a dead-rubber.

Keita could start the game in a low-intensity, low-pressure fixture and ease himself back into fitness and confidence.

Because Keita typically plays well and builds momentum in these games.

Arguably his best performance of last season came in the final home game against Chelsea. The Reds were already champions and there was nothing riding on it – and Keita seemed a lot more comfortable.

Unfortunately, it was the last home game of the season – it wasn’t something he could carry momentum from.

Giving him plenty of minutes against Midtjylland, however, could help build that comfort and confidence. Maybe that would set him up for a decent run over the Christmas period and we can see the best of Keita to see out the year.