If Fabinho and Jordan Henderson weren’t aware their midfield roles are no longer set in stone at Liverpool, they most certainly are now.
For the first time since the former made his debut for the Reds back in September 2018, neither was in the starting line-up for a third successive game.
Jurgen Klopp instead again turned to the triumvirate of Stefan Bajcetic, Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara, the latter of whom was the only one to start the chastening loss here at Brighton and Hove Albion a fortnight ago.
LFC PLAYER RATINGS: Bajcetic impresses and Gakpo promising but too many average
AS IT HAPPENED: Brighton 2-1 Liverpool
Having tinkered tactically for the Premier League visit, Liverpool reverted to more tried-and-trusted methods for this FA Cup fourth round clash which prompted a somewhat more recognisable midfield display – if not a different outcome.
Bajcetic, having had a tougher time against Chelsea last weekend, was energetic in the defensive role, his reading of the game epitomised by twice nicking the ball off the toes of a Brighton player inside the area when danger threatened.
The performance of the teenager was once more impressively disciplined given, for the second week running, he picked up a first-half booking. Indeed, his composure and cool attitude are already emerging as real strengths.
This has been a big week for Bajcetic, following his first Premier League start last Saturday by signing a new long-term contract and further cementing his place in the engine room. The 18-year-old is the future of Liverpool.
And that became suggestion became stronger after he had been substituted with five minutes of normal time remaining for Fabinho, whose cameo underlined exactly why he has tumbled out of favour this season.
Setting Brighton away for an attack with a poor touch, Fabinho seconds later was guilty of a poor tackle that caught Evan Ferguson on the Achilles and forced the young Brighton striker out of the game. In mitigation, the Liverpool man instantly acknowledged his error, and was perhaps fortunate to see a yellow card and not red.
Henderson, who had replaced Keita shortly before the hour, was at least improved on his showing here two weeks earlier, but it was once Klopp began to rotate his younger players – goalscorer Harvey Elliott also being replaced in the second half – so Liverpool’s hold on the game began to crumble, making Brighton’s injury-time winner all the more inevitable.
It’s now official – this is a Reds team deep in transition. And there could easily be more pain to come, both individually and collectively. Buckle up, folks. It won’t be pretty.
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