Jurgen Klopp Reveals the Reason Fabinho Was Left Out of the Matchday Squad for Brighton Win

Jurgen Klopp has said that Fabinho's absence from recent matchday squads is down to the high-octane style of football his side favour, and urges the £40m

Jurgen Klopp has said that Fabinho's absence from recent matchday squads is down to the high-octane style of football his side favour, and urges the £40m midfielder to follow in the footsteps of Andy Robertson and stay patient. 

The German boss isn't convinced the Brazilian midfielder is suitably up to speed with his side's style of play, and has a plethora of options who already know his system in Gini Wijnaldum, James Milner, Jordan Henderson, and new signing Naby Keita.

#LFC's line-up today.

Once more, no place in the squad for Fabinho. pic.twitter.com/qrP1r7F1oQ

— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) August 25, 2018

When asked about his exclusion from the squad before Liverpool's clash with Brighton, Klopp told the Express: “It is about players understanding the position and who else is available as well – otherwise Fabinho would have been involved in the squad, as he was in the first week.

“That is it. It is different football to what he is used to but he is improving already with big steps.

“You see Andy Robertson running around here at Melwood now and he’s a completely different person to the one who was here in the first three months.

"That’s how it is, but everything will be fine.

What’s happening with Fabinho is what Robertson underwent last season. Klopp won’t start somebody until he’s accustomed to the system and intensity of the league. He’ll be slowly integrated. A lot of managers could learn from that, doing the opposite can harm both team and player

— Maxi (@MaaxiAngelo) August 25, 2018

Fabinho was an unused sub for the win over West Ham, but has since been left out of the squad completely for the Reds' recent fixtures against Crystal Palace and Brighton.

Klopp's refusal to rush new signings into the first team is nothing new. It took Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain months to establish themselves in the first team, but both have showed immense improvement since arriving at Anfield last summer.

And the midfielder himself understands Klopp's reasons, and is keeping a level head, telling the Express: "I'm aware it's a different playing style than Monaco.

“There were two in midfield there whereas here at Liverpool there's usually three.

Would’ve liked to see a bit of Fabinho today, off the bench – but obviously Klopp knows better, as he’s proven in the past, I.e. Robertson and Ox.

He’ll adapt to the system and absolutely boss it.

— Ben Webb (@BenWebbLFC) August 25, 2018

"But I hope to be as important here as I was at Monaco."

So far, Liverpool have started every match with the combination of Wijnaldum, Milner and Keita, and have had tremendous success, winning all three of their games without conceding a goal.