Jurgen Klopp Praises Fabinho, Says Brazilian Could Start Against Red Star in UCL

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hinted that summer signing Fabinho may make his first UEFA Champions League start for the club on Wednesday against Red Star Belgrade.

Despite arriving for a reported £43.7 million in the summer, the Brazil international has not yet started a game in European competition or the Premier League for the Reds. The only competitive match for which he was included in the XI was the 2-1 Carabao Cup loss against Chelsea.

Fabinho was introduced to the game against Huddersfield Town on Saturday, helping Liverpool secure a 1-0 win.

Klopp said the former Monaco man may get a go from the off when the team takes on Red Star, per Andy Hunter of the Guardian:

"It's not that he's come in and said; 'Sit down all of you and I'll explain how we do it because Monaco were in the Champions League semi-final the year before and became French champions.' He is more a reserved person, looking, watching, absorbing, and it always takes a little bit more time. But on the pitch, he is back now and that's good now. All fine.

"It is his birthday so it would be a nice present. I didn't make the starting lineup yet but he has been here a few months now, got used to a few things, and so we will use him."

Fabinho has also made it clear he is keen to play more of a part for his new club: 

According to David Maddock of the Daily Mirror, there are a couple of injury issues for Liverpool to contend with in midfield that may open the door for Fabinho:

The game does feel like the ideal opportunity to give Fabinho a run out, because the fixture should be straightforward for the Reds. In a group that also contains Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli, the Belgrade outfit are comfortably the weakest team.

As a busy festive period edges closer into view, Klopp will also be keen to have Fabinho up to full tilt. There have been some signs of rustiness in his outings so far, although there were also indications in the Huddersfield match that he is beginning to find his feet in the Reds setup.

John Gibbons of The Anfield Wrap was pleased to see him play a part in a hard-earned win:

If Liverpool can find a way of getting Fabinho to replicate his Monaco form on Merseyside, then they have a fine footballer on their hands.

The midfielder was a colossal presence for the Ligue 1 outfit, knitting the team together with his ability to win the ball back and distribute it efficiently. It's the type of play that would add another dimension to this Liverpool side, who are so devastating in transition.

Red Star are likely to sit deep and try to soak up pressure at Anfield, although after a 6-1 loss to PSG in the previous game in the Champions League, they are unlikely to stem the home side's attacks for too long on Wednesday.