Liverpool’s most important player is NOT Mo Salah or Virgil van Dijk as stats show the absent midfield star is key to red-hot form

LIVERPOOL’s most important star is NOT Mo Salah or Virgil van Dijk, stats revealed.

In fact, it was an absent Reds star who was most important to their fiery red form.

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Salah and Van Dijk, valued in excess of £150m, are two of the best players in the world.

But in the statistics revealed by Snack Media, it really is Thiago who guarantees Liverpool victory when he plays.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have started with the Spaniard nine times this campaign and won them all.

But in the six games they have had to play without him since last month, the Merseysiders have won just once.

Four of the matches have been drawn and they have lost once – a 0-1 defeat to Leicester.

Thiago has been sidelined since suffering a hip injury against Newcastle on December 16.

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There were early concerns that he would be sidelined for the rest of the season.

But Klopp turned down such proposals following his side’s FA Cup win over Shrewbury.

The German said: “He hasn’t trained this week but we expect him to be back to do the rehab jobs from tomorrow and then we’ll see.

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“No, it’s not like he’s out for the rest of the season, not at all.”

Reds fans have taken some time to warm to the 46-coat central midfielder following his move from Bayern Munich in September 2020.

And there is still a rather hazy view of him among opposing fans.

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