Fabinho injury mars victory over FC Midtjylland

Liverpool moved two points clear at the top of Group D with victory over Champions League rookies FC Midtjylland on a night their defensive problems mounted with the loss of Fabinho to injury.

The Brazilian, who has slotted in alongside Joe Gomez in the centre of defence since the loss of Virgil van Dijk to a serious knee injury on 17 October, had to be replaced after suffering a suspected hamstring injury.

Starting without influential forwards Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool failed to register an attempt on target in the first half.

They broke the deadlock after Trent Alexander-Arnold played a neat one-two with Xherdan Shaqiri, the former teeing-up Diogo Jota to tap home in front of an empty Kop.

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Fabinho says he's found his rhythm at Liverpool

Fabinho claims he has finally found his rhythm at Liverpool after a lacklustre start.

The Brazilian midfielder joined Jurgen Klopp’s side from Monaco in the summer for £43.7m but didn’t make an appearance in the Premier League until the club’s ninth game of the season. 

However, since making his league debut in a brief cameo against Huddersfield, Fabinho has started six of Liverpool’s last eight league games, usurping Naby Keita and culminating in a standout performance against Manchester United on Sunday. 

“The intensity is different from what I am used to [but] I’ve got into the rhythm of the team and got used to the style of play.”

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Fabinho admits to adaptation struggle

Fabinho has admitted to ESPN Brasil that his period of adaptation at Liverpool was difficult to deal with at times.

Fabinho was made to wait until late September to make his first start for Liverpool, with manager Jurgen Klopp affording the €50 million summer signing time to adjust to his tactical concepts.

The defensive midfielder, however, starred in Liverpool's wins over Red Star Belgrade and Cardiff City this week -- starting and playing the entire 90 minutes of those games.

"I'm very happy to play my second match in a row as first-choice, played the full match. It is very good for me," Fabinho said.

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Fabinho talks up Sadio Mane

Midfielder Fabinho believes that his Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane can become one of the best players in the world.

Fabinho joined the Reds from Monaco this summer and, despite having his own struggles, has been hugely impressed with the Senegal star.

“Sadio Mane is an excellent player,” Fabinho told Goal. “Before I came to Liverpool, I saw him on TV and I liked him a lot.

“He is very fast and very intelligent. He has everything to continue growing to become one of the best players in the world.

“I hope he continues with us for a long time. It is a pleasure to play alongside him.”

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Fabinho happy with adaptation to English football

Liverpool's summer acquisition of Fabinho was seen as one of the final pieces in putting together a squad that can challenge for the Premier League title. The forward line is complete, the defence has been bolstered by Virgil Van Dijk and Allison, and the midfield has seemingly been given its £39m Brazilian anchor. But since arriving at the very start of the season, Fabinho has started just one game.

The Brazilian's start to life at Anfield has not gone as expected as he continues to struggled to break into the first team, but Fabinho says he is beginning to adapt to the Premier League as well as Jurgen Klopp’s style of play, which has been holding him back. 

"My process to adapt to English football has been very good,” he told the club’s website. “Since pre-season I believe I've understood the way Jurgen Klopp plays and the way the team plays.

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Klopp: Fabinho could take six months to adapt to English football

Jurgen Klopp has revealed that it may take up to six months for summer signing Fabinho to fully adapt to Liverpool’s way of playing.

Fabinho joined Liverpool in a £43.7 million deal from Monaco in May but has made just one appearance for the club so far this season, coming on as an 89th-minute substitute during Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Klopp’s reluctance to field a player who was integral to Monaco’s run to the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition in the 2016-17 season has raised eyebrows, but the German said it will take time for the specific movements required from the midfielder to become instinctive.

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