According to Premier League legend Michael Owen, Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara is playing a whole different type of game to everyone else and it makes the former striker want to watch football all day long.
That’s a lot of praise for the Spanish midfielder, who arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2020 from Bayern Munich, but he has only been able to register a few games for the English club.
The Spain international, who helped his former German club become 2019/20 UEFA Champions League winners since his arrival has spent most of his time on the sidelines, having been tested positive for Covid-19 before eventually picking up an injury before their derby match against Everton making him unavailable for selection for Jurgen Klopp.
The former Bavarians midfielder returned from the sidelines recently as has made some impressive appearances for the Merseyside club.
His most recent appearance for Jurgen Klopp’s team was when he came off the bench to replace Jordan Henderson at half-time in the third round of FA Cup match against Aston Villa, a match which ended in favor of the Reds.
Despite being against the young side of the Villans, Liverpool struggled through the first half of the match as the scoreline read 1-1 at the break. The match, however, ended 4-1 as experience and quality finally decided the game.
The Reds seem to have gotten back on their feet after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Southampton in their last outing. With many betting on Liverpool to win the Premier League , this match will put them at ease.
Thiago’s introduction into the match seems to have brought a massive change to the game, as they found the back of the net 15 minutes after the break. Former Liverpool striker Owen was majorly impressed by the performance of the Spain international.
Speaking about Thiago, Owen told BT Sport: “This fella just makes me want to watch football 24 hours a day.
“The way he looks around, the way he gives it the eyes. There’s nobody in the Premier League, nobody that plays like him.
“He’s playing a different type of game than everyone else. His disguise on passes is unbelievable.”
There were concerns after Klopp replaced his captain at the end of the first half against Aston Villa, but the Reds manager revealed to the media that his decision to take off the England international was a tactical reason and it was not done for fitness concerns for the skipper.
Right after their securing their spot in round four of the FA Cup, the German manager told reporters: “Hendo and Thiago, it was clear before the game that we do it like this for 45 and 45.
“There is no [injury] problem and no, we had no reservations [over playing].”
In their preparation for the third round of FA Cup match against Liverpool, Aston Villa was handed a major blow due to the Covid-19 outbreak, forcing them to close their training ground as their first-team move into isolation while the Under-23s team went up against Klopp’s side.
Owens might have the chance to see Thiago in action once again as Liverpool will taking on a Premier League match against Manchester United as their next match. He should be fit enough for him to make the starting lineup of Jurgen Klopp.