OPINION
Faith in Naby Keita is wavering from a section of Liverpool supporters in the wake of his performance in the team’s FA Cup defeat to Wolves on Monday night.
How soon some forget. Those with super-short memories were hammering the Guinea international on social media while seemingly oblivious to his excellent recent performances against Bournemouth and Burnley.
Keita was also very decent in the Premier League win versus Wolves last month and could consider himself unfortunate not to have made the starting XIs against Arsenal and Manchester City.
Restored to the second-string XI fielded at Molineux, Keita started impressively in a roving midfield role on the left side where he has been utilised principally over the last month or so.
Like many of his teammates in what was a bang-average Liverpool performance, the 23-year-old then faded.
This irritated many supporters, with comments on Twitter including that Keita is a “fraud” and a long way from what the club should have got for their £50million-plus outlay last summer.
https://twitter.com/69jaylee69/status/1082375605050621959
I’ll be mad if Naby Keita turns out to be a fraud.Cuz we waited for this guy a whole season after payment.
— sess. (@Sesughx) January 8, 2019
Said it the other day lads, if that’s Henderson playing like that tonight he’s crucified
— Jackie Cahill ?? (@cahilljackie) January 7, 2019
Keita.. who hasn’t played regularly or in his best position vs the fraud captain who hides in games…strange https://t.co/qoIx9SFBfy
— Niall Purcell (@purcelln421) January 7, 2019
Sturridge is finished! Milner is getting old, Moreno is a criminal, keita is a fraud, Curtis Jones must learn fast, Camacho is a defensive joke and mignolet should retire! Klopp is too naive and same time too loyal and stubborn at same time.
— Japhet (@papilondon550) January 7, 2019
Keita looking like a fraud but I’ll just leave it for now.
— Bailey. (@Otunba_Bailey) January 7, 2019
Keita is a fraud!!!
— Sir Ehi ? (@King_Zode) January 7, 2019
Jermaine Jenas is a shrewd commentator and analyst of the game, and his trained eye is of the view that Keita is the real deal.
Quite right. The former RB Leipzig player can and will make a huge impact at Liverpool.
Sure, he is not at his best and his first half-season at the club has not lived up to expectations, partly as a consequence of the intense competition for places in midfield.
But, form is temporary and class is permanent.
Keita was one of the best players in the Bundesliga and will soon be recognised as one of the best in the Premier League.