Player who is ‘not good enough for Liverpool’ nearing exit

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen criticised Naby Keita’s performance against Crystal Palace over the weekend amid reports that the club will allow the midfielder to leave in the summer.

Having won seven years in a row away at Palace, Jurgen Klopp’s side saw that run end with a goalless draw in what was a frustrating night at Selhurst Park.

Keita started in midfield, alongside James Milner. The two players are both out of contract in the summer and neither could lay claim to a good performance on the night.

Particularly Keita, who received an early yellow card before coming off at half-time, and Owen was quick to call out the former RB Leipzig midfielder, as well as the rest of the Liverpool engine room.

“Fabinho has been average this season. Really average. Harvey Elliott, when he came on at half-time, he give the ball away more than he kept it. Naby Keita is just not good enough for a midfielder, in my opinion, for Liverpool.”

That was Keita’s first start since the three-nil loss away at Wolves and only his third in the league all year. Winning only two of his 10 ground duels epitomised his poor performance and he was substituted at the interval.

For Keita, that performance has come amid reports from Fabrizio Romano that he is likely to leave in the summer as a free agent, noting that Barcelona are surveying that market. The Athletic concur that he will leave, especially off-the-back of that poor performance at Selhurst Park.

After six years at Anfield, the £54m experiment seems to be over as Liverpool look to rebuild in midfield during the summer window. His exit could be the start of that process, alongside other departing players.