He's a Guardiola-type player: Richard Keys claims Liverpool midfielder Thiago is in the 'wrong team'

Following the remarkable 4-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City at Anfield, Liverpool are now 10 points below the league leaders at the top of the table, who also have a game in hand.

Since their significant drop in form, a lot has been made of Liverpool's transfer activity during the last few windows, and in particular their move to sign Spanish midfielder Thiago from European champions Bayern Munich.

It hasn't happened yet for Thiago at Liverpool 😬 pic.twitter.com/KdPBLHeRXp

— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) February 8, 2021

Jurgen Klopp's side have come under the scanner following their recent poor run of form in the Premier League and recently, veteran sports presenter Richard Keys has weighed in on the Thiago move.

"Wonderful player, not for Liverpool, Keys said. "Ever since he's arrived, Liverpool's whole approach to the game changed."

"He changes the energy and the intensity of the team. He's different to what [Jordan] Henderson is and to what they have. What's he going to add? When Liverpool are at their best, he's going to get blown away. He's not going to see the ball, is he?"

Keys claimed the Spaniard is in the wrong team following his string of poor performances for the Reds.

"Two, maybe three weeks ago, I said that Thiago is the wrong type for Liverpool," Keys said. "He slows things down. That’s not what Liverpool are. He’s a Guardiola-type player. I was pleased to see Didi Hamann agree with me. Thiago is obviously class, but he’s in the wrong team."

When everyone is fit, he will play higher up for Liverpool: Nigel de Jong defends Thiago

Thiago Alcantra

While Keys made the assertion that Thiago is more of a 'Guardiola player' rather than doing well for the Reds, former Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong was not quick to agree with him.

"Of course, Thiago is a quality player. You are lacking personnel," de Jong said. "Do you really think that [Jurgen] Klopp wants to put Henderson as a central defender? No, because he doesn't have the personnel."

"At the end of the day, if everybody is fit, Thiago will play, but he will play higher up. He will play like a Naby Keita, in that kind of role, like a number eight, and put Henderson as a defensive midfielder."

Fellow presenter and former English footballer Andy Gray echoed De Jong's statements following Keys' accusation that Thiago is in the wrong team.

"He's never played in a Liverpool side that is at its best and has got all its players in it. He's played at the top level for years, at the highest level," the Englishman said.

Andy Gray laughs at Richard Keys for his take on Thiago at Liverpool https://t.co/ySF6zqiw7l

— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) February 8, 2021