"Special player, incredible" - Liverpool fans hail 27-year-old who is 'finally getting the appreciation he deserves'
Liverpool fans online have heaped praise on midfielder Naby Keita following an excellent all-round display against West Ham United in their 1-0 win at Anfield. Sadio Mane scored the only goal of the game in a tensely contested affair on Saturday.
Naby Keita was one of the Reds' most important players on the pitch in both attack and defense. The 27-year-old midfielder provided an inch-perfect floating ball for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who provided the assist for Sadio Mane's goal.
However, Keita's most important contribution came in the second half. West Ham forward Michail Antonio was through on goal but Keita tracked back around 30 yards to block the shot. The Guinean midfielder received a well-deserved standing ovation when he was substituted off in the 89th minute, and was replaced by James Milner.
Liverpool supporters on Twitter were proud to see Keita finally coming good in a red shirt. His performance against West Ham has made the Kopites even more optimistic for the rest of the season.
Here are some of the best tweets in that regard:
Naby Keita is such a special player when on it - the ideal archetypical modern-day #8.
Standing ovation… we prayed for days like this
if keita doesn’t move you, i pray for you. he’s incredible.
Naby Keita was absolutely fantastic today.
As long as we have at least one of Keita or Thiago available every game till the end of the season the quadruple is a genuine possibility
Naby Keita was excellent today, btw.
Naby Keïta is the closest profile to Thiago that LFC have for that left-sided 8 “controller role” in Klopp’s system. As he showed vs West Ham, he can progress the ball via dribbling & passing plus make key ball recoveries. He has a key role to play in the rest of LFC’s season.
“defensive liability” naby keita tracking back to save us btw
keita said we've got a title to win
Feel very happy for Naby Keita. Finally getting the appreciation he deserves. https://t.co/8GQH2hveUb
Don’t you lot dare act like you didn’t just see that Keita performance. He offers everything Thiago does
Naby Keita has been in-and-out of the Liverpool team ever since his £54 million transfer from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2018. The 27-year-old midfielder has been massively injury-prone during his time at Anfield, which has deprived him of regular game time.
Keita has also been irregular in the starting XI this season. However, the Guinean international has been effective whenever called upon by manager Jurgen Klopp. Keita has made 22 appearances for the Reds this season and has contributed three goals and one assist across all competitions.
Keita was also called upon in the starting XI at short notice in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea after Thiago Alcantara injured himself during the warm-up. The 27-year-old midfielder played 80 minutes on that occasion before being substituted as the game beckoned extra time.
The Reds went on to win the Carabao Cup in a penalty shootout.
Liverpool picked up a vital win against West Ham United
Liverpool's narrow 1-0 win over West Ham meant that they are now just three points behind league-leaders Manchester City. The Reds also have a much better goal difference compared to their title rivals.
The win against the Hammers was crucial for Jurgen Klopp's side. Manchester City are due to play Manchester United on Sunday. The title race could blow wide open if the Cityzens drop points against their city-rivals at the Etihad Stadium.
𝗔 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 🤩 https://t.co/I1xFNN2iqJ
Liverpool will now shift their attention to the UEFA Champions League. The Reds host Inter Milan in the second leg of their Round of 16 clash on Tuesday (March 8). They already have a 2-0 lead on aggregate against the reigning Serie A champions.