Liverpool analysis - Fabinho hands Thiago Alcantara boost as Luis Diaz gives future glimpse

Liverpool supporters would be forgiven for thinking some things perhaps just aren’t meant to be.

When the teamsheet dropped for this Wembley final, there was an excited sense of anticipation at seeing Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson together in midfield.

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Arguably the strongest triumvirate at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal, it has only been spotted five times this season since the aborted debut at Everton back in October 2020.

Liverpool won all five. So the deflation was tangible as word swept around Wembley mere minutes before kick-off that Thiago had suffered an injury during the warm-up and would be replaced by Naby Keita.

The Spaniard was in tears on the bench, consoled by Alisson Becker. Keita, meanwhile, was thrust into a situation he surely hadn’t been anticipating.

It showed at the start, Liverpool knocked out of their stride. But, to their credit, they dug in, first with Jordan Henderson looking to calm the storm, then later Fabinho assuming the responsibility with an outstanding defensive midfield display, his cheeky Panenka penalty in