Naby Keïta and Thiago Alcântara flourish after finding their rhythm

Jürgen Klopp says Liverpool signed the best midfielders in the Bundesliga when they acquired Naby Keïta in 2018 and Thiago Alcântara two years later. The duo cost a combined £81m but it has taken them time to make a consistent impact, something Everton may find out to their coston Sunday.

While eight-figure transfer fees may raise expectations, Keïta and Thiago have taken their time to peak in a Liverpool shirt, honing their qualities in the centre of midfield.

Each has endured spells on the sidelines at crucial points that have curtailed their momentum. Keïta has endured hamstring, ankle and knee problems but has been unavailable for one game since early December. Thiago contracted Covid on arrival in England and that was followed by a knee injury in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park last season in his second appearance for the club.

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At the start of April, Keïta declared after almost four years at Anfield: “I don’t believe we’ve seen the real Naby Keïta just yet.” His lowest moment was being replaced after 42 minutes of Liverpool’s 3-1 Champions quarter-final defeat at Real Madrid last season, his final appearance of the campaign.

Some feared his Liverpool career was over at that point. The Guinean, however, has since found the rhythm Klopp was convinced he could. Regular appearances have allowed the 27-year-old to be more effective when pressing in the areas he aims to dominate.

As a player who likes to dictate the tempo of a game, getting up to speed with the Premier League was important for Thiago, whose role can be to slow a match down when necessary. In the early stages of his Anfield career that seemed to show an