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Struggling Keita should take heart from Liverpool teammate’s journey

Tom Procter
Tom Procter

It’s safe to say Naby Keita is still struggling to convince the masses at Liverpool.

The Guinean dynamo hasn’t quite had the start he would have hoped for at Anfield following his £52.75 million move from RB Leipzig ().

Now into his second season, Keita – who has been plagued by injuries – is still having difficulty forcing his way into the side.

(Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

He will show flashes of brilliance here and there, but has been unable to produce a string of solid performances.

Against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup last night, the 24-year-old was handed a rare start but struggled to make an impact against the Gunners’ youngsters.

He was withdrawn after 55 minutes, afterwards that he has sustained another injury.

Keita is beginning to frustrate some supporters, and he appears to be in a similar boat to that of a player who starred against Arsenal.

TBR’s view – Keita should follow Origi example

As Keita went off, Divock Origi came to the fore for Liverpool by scoring two goals, including one right at the death to take the game to a penalty shootout.

Origi can be the perfect example for Keita.

At one stage of his Liverpool career, the Belgian was deemed by most supporters as not good enough.

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Many wrote him off, but after a couple of loan spells the star returned to Liverpool ahead of 2018/19 and went on to make a big impact.

His goals in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona and final against Tottenham Hotspur have truly endeared him to the Liverpool faithful, and his popularity has reached a point he would probably never have imagined.

He may still not be a regular starter, but he is now a valued and popular squad member and his turnaround can inspire Keita.