Agbonlahor issues ‘100 per cent’ Liverpool verdict after Naby Keita injury update
Gabriel Agbonlahor has claimed Liverpool are naive to persist with injury-prone players like Naby Keita.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Aston Villa striker said Jurgen Klopp will need to make sure future signings have better injury records.
The 27-year-old was left out of the matchday squad that lost to Man United because of injury.
Speaking to club media after the game (22 August), Klopp said they need further assessment of the midfielder’s problem.
The Guinea international joins Liverpool’s long injury list that includes fellow midfielders Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
When asked if the Anfield club are naive to rely on players like Keita who are prone to injuries, Agbonlahor told Football Insider: “100 per cent.
“I think it comes to the stage where a manager looks at players and thinks these injuries are too much. You look at Oxlade-Chamberlain, Keita, Thiago, other teams that are fighting for the league don’t have these injury problems.
“Man City very rarely have injury problems to key players. It’s something that they’ve got to look at in the future with who they’re signing, what their injury record is like.
“The midfield lacks pace, legs and it’s something Klopp will be thinking they need to look at. Liverpool’s bench on Monday night was so poor, some of the names you hadn’t even heard of. I think Klopp will be making sure anyone they bring in has a better injury record.“
In other news, a pundit expects Fabio Carvalho to make full Liverpool debut amid ‘brilliant’ claim.