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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Josh Williams

Liverpool have all the evidence they need to make key Thiago decision

When Liverpool last faced Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp's midfield department treated the ball like it was a ticking time bomb.

Fabinho wasn't especially culpable, but James Milner and Jordan Henderson in particular seemed to struggle with the pressure in Liverpool's engine room.

The pair attempted a combined total of 71 passes, yet found a teammate with just 47 of them.

Diogo Jota, who played closer to goal, was the only player on the pitch who posted a lower pass completion than Milner's 60.9%, and Henderson wasn't much better on 68.8%.

Passing accuracy is a dangerous statistic to use in isolation but in this match, it accurately captured an underlying problem.

The Reds were desperate to establish control but even with a 2-0 lead at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool were absorbed by the chaos. 2-2 was the end result after 90 minutes, it was another piece of evidence which underlined Thiago Alcantara's importance.

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This weekend, Klopp will contest his first domestic cup final since 2016. His team will come up against Chelsea once more but this time around, Thiago will be fit and available for selection.

The impact of a single player is difficult to determine in a team sport such as football, but Thiago has offered quite the presence at Anfield this season. In the 12 games that he's started in all competitions, Liverpool have scored 35 goals, averaging slightly under three per match.

At the opposite end of the field, the Reds have conceded just twice. Unsurprisingly, Klopp's men have a 100% win record with Thiago on the pitch.

The 30-year-old didn't feature when Liverpool allowed Brentford to scored three past them in September. He wasn't available when Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton scored two goals each against them, either.

In fact, 13 of the 20 goals that Liverpool have conceded in the Premier League this season have been scored without Thiago in the squad.

Unlike some of his teammates, the Spaniard remains cool when the temperature begins to rise. Much like Fabinho - who has been described as a 'lighthouse' by Pep Lijnders - Thiago executes Liverpool's high-risk game without succumbing to the heated atmosphere around him.

He's a source of calm for his teammates, and he doesn't shy away from receiving the ball in crowded spaces. Of all the players in the Premier League to play at least 500 minutes this season, only Rodri averages more passes while under pressure from an opponent than Thiago.

Klopp has coached his team to be great at many things, but their ability to truly remain in control of proceedings always seems to coincide with whether Thiago is playing or not.

His average pass completion in the Premier League this season places him eighth overall amongst midfielders, but what makes him unique is how he's able to merge retention with progression.

No player in England's top-flight is averaging more progressive passes on a per-90 basis than Thiago, who supplements Trent Alexander-Arnold's efforts to get his teammates closer to goal by showcasing his own incisive passes.

Wembley will host a countless number of stars on Sunday afternoon, but the Reds midfielder could prove to be the most important. When he plays, Liverpool win, and Klopp will hope his spotless record persists beyond this weekend.

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