"He's the one that really makes them tick" - Paul Dickov names the Liverpool player who makes the Reds play better

Former Arsenal forward Paul Dickov has heaped praise on Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara, singling him out as the player responsible for elevating his team's performance.

Thiago, 31, has established himself as a crucial part of Jurgen Klopp's midfield since arriving from Bayern Munich for £20 million in 2020. However, a series of injuries have blighted his stint at Anfield.

A technical operator renowned for his passing and dribbling, Thiago missed five matches earlier this season due to a hamstring injury. After starting seven games upon his return, he has recently been sidelined for two back-to-back matches with an ear infection.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Dickov claimed that Thiago's absence from the pitch has affected the Reds' ongoing campaign. Lauding him, he said:

"I've named many-a player there but Thiago is the big one for me. He's the one that really makes them tick. He's the creative one in midfield and he's had a stop-start start to the season as well. So, you put all that together and it's really difficult for them."

Thiago, who has grown to be irreplaceable due to his creative ability, has missed 51 games for the Merseyside outfit as a result of either illness or injury. On the other hand, he has made 79 overall appearances, registering three goals and five assists in the process.

Meanwhile, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson are also currently suffering from poor form. As a result, Liverpool have failed to open their season on a high, sitting eighth in the Premier League standings.

Apart from Thiago, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arthur Melo and Curtis Jones have also proved to be injury headaches for Klopp this season. While Jones and Oxlade-Chamberlain have recently returned to action, Keita and Arthur continue to be sidelined.

Paul Merson predicts outcome of upcoming Liverpool-Leeds United clash

In his column for Sportskeeda, former Arsenal forward Paul Merson predicted a 3-0 win for Liverpool in their Premier League home clash against Leeds United on Saturday (29 October). He wrote:

"They pulled off a brilliant performance against Manchester City. They then endured a shocking result against Forest and went on to beat a good footballing team in Ajax. Jurgen Klopp must be pulling his hair out. Liverpool have been very consistent under him in recent years, but they've been up and down this season."

Merson backed the Reds to emerge victorious against Leeds United, who are on an eight-match winless run in the Premier League. He added:

"Leeds are struggling, aren't they? I like Jesse Marsch and I think he works hard but Leeds keep shooting themselves in the foot. I expect Liverpool to win this game comfortably."