‘Incredible’ Naby Keita is now set for the biggest game of his career as Reds confirm FA Cup final blow

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Naby Keita now looks set for the FA Cup final after Liverpool confirmed a major blow. The Reds will have to change things up.

Fabinho will not play in the FA Cup final. Jurgen Klopp confirmed as much on Thursday – though, it’s not a shock. The Brazilian went off early against Aston Villa on Tuesday evening with a hamstring issue and it was always a struggle to get him back fit in time.

In fact, Michael Owen said immediately after the game that Fabinho had ‘no chance’ of making the final. And boy, does he know hamstring injuries.

Liverpool must now cope without Fabinho at the base of their midfield. That almost certainly means Jordan Henderson stepping into the deep-lying role – a role he plays very well.

That, in turn, frees up a space in midfield that we imagine Naby Keita will fill. It would be the biggest game of the Guinean’s career.

Naby Keita looks set for FA Cup final

Liverpool play Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday as they chase their second piece of silverware this season. It would outright be the biggest game of the campaign, if not for the Champions League final on May 28th.

But while Keita may not start in Paris, he looks sure to at Wembley. The midfielder missed the Champions League final in 2019 through injury, while 2019/20 didn’t really have any ‘massive’ games on the way to Liverpool’s Premier League title.

This, then, is surely the biggest game of Keita’s career. That gives him a chance to have his moment – something he hasn’t really had at Liverpool. A game where Keita is decisive as the Reds achieve something special.

He’s had some fantastic games this season, of course, and Klopp beieves the ‘incredible’ Keita is having his best season yet. We’d agree with that – but Saturday will be a real opportunity to go beyond that. It could well end up being the defining game of his Liverpool career. Certainly so far.