Jurgen Klopp has dismissed suggestions Thiago Alcantara was not suited to playing for Liverpool as he explained the one issue the Spaniard has had to contend with at Anfield.
Thiago has been in excellent form in recent weeks and was outstanding in the 4-0 Premier League romp over bitter North West rivals Manchester United on Tuesday. The Spaniard had initially struggled since arriving from Bayern Munich for an initial £20million in September 2020, not helped by a knee injury suffered on his full debut against Everton that sidelined him for almost three months.
The 31-year-old, though, was integral in Liverpool chasing down a top-four finish last term with his performances this season meaning the Reds have won 25 of the last 29 games in which has started, with the only defeat being the home Champions League reverse to Inter Milan in a tie from which the Reds progressed regardless.
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And reminded of the early debate over Thiago's signing, Klopp said: "People were questioning if he suits our football? Thank God these people don’t make decisions, if a player is calming a game down in moments due to a lot of reasons - one of them is just to have a look, or whatever - it is of course nothing we thought (was wrong).
"It is more important Thiago wanted to join us and he knew how we played. He is a real football person and thinks a lot about football. He knew how we played and he knew he we would fit in and we knew it as well. It is always about being fit and staying fit and getting used to the slight differences to the former club, whatever these things are in different teams. Then you can go from there."
Klopp added: "Thiago had only one problem, he was injured and it started with an Everton game, to be honest. That didn’t help. It was never a question if he would suit us. We only signed him because we knew he would help us.
"It is great (that Thiago is playing well) but I don’t like to talk too much about one player, not because he doesn’t deserve it but because always when I do something happens to the player when I leave this room and then I hear 'Thiago feels a little bit here or there'. It was good, let's carry on."
Klopp is pondering whether to reunite Thiago with Naby Keita in midfield for Sunday's 240th Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield. Keita has also been in impressive form of late but hasn't started a Premier League game since the win at Brighton in mid-March.
"It's the same situation with Thiago," said the Reds boss. "I don't like to talk about it, exactly the same expectation from my side, somebody tells me 'Naby cannot play'.
"When Naby was fit and Naby could get some rhythm he was always really good, unfortunately he could not get as much rhythm as he wished and as we wished in the past. Maybe that's over now (knocks wood). Hopefully the future is bright for him, he is a great player.
"The year before (Keita signed) it was Keita and Thiago were the two best midfielders in the Bundesliga by a distance. So to first get Naby and then Thiago, was obviously a good idea."
