Fabinho situation not complicated, insists Klopp

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Jurgen Klopp says Fabinho still needs to get used to Liverpool’s style of play before he is ready for action.

The Brazil international, who signed from Monaco ahead of the 2018-19 season, is yet to make a Premier League appearance.

Fabinho was introduced deep into added time as Liverpool beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last week, making his debut for the club.

And the 24-year-old could get a chance to impress in the EFL Cup against Chelsea on Wednesday, although Klopp feels Fabinho still has more to learn.

“It’s not different between him and other players. It’s really not complicated, he just needs to get used to it,” Klopp told reporters.

“It’s about positioning, it’s about reaction, about spaces defensively, closing them, offensively using them.

“It’s a football team with a specific way of playing. It needs time, and they were all used to other football teams. So you have natural runs in a team.

“Like, let me say, a very famous movement here was Phil Coutinho. Half left, inside, nice shot! For this one, you needed somebody to overlap and make it difficult to defend, so that one defender at least is busy. Things like that explain it. It’s completely normal.

“There’s no time to say ‘I give you that, or that’, but it will happen. Because the game is so quick and intense, it needs to get natural. It’s not about changing these players, we want their football personality. They are here because of what they did.

“Three or five weeks sound like a long time in football, but to improve something you can give half a year, to really make the next step. That’s it.”

Chelsea dropped points for the first time under Maurizio Sarri when they were held to a 0-0 draw at London rivals West Ham on Sunday.

After the game, Sarri suggested it could take a year for Chelsea to catch Liverpool and Klopp agreed with the Italian’s assessment.

“He is right. We work longer together,” Klopp added. “That’s why I say it’s quite impressive what he’s done in a short period.

“They were very successful with [Antonio] Conte, so changing it that much is cool. These players are able to play this game, Jorginho in midfield is a big influence.

“But he obviously doesn’t need as much time as I do [to make an impact]. It’s really impressive what he’s done so far.”