'Worrying': BBC pundit concerned £20m Liverpool player wasn't putting in enough effort against Arsenal

By Ben Evans

Liverpool’s stuttering start to the season continued yesterday, as they fell to a 3-2 defeat against Arsenal.

Jurgen Klopp’s side couldn’t overcome the early Premier League leaders, despite goals from Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino.

While reviewing the match on BBC Match of the Day 2, Danny Murphy picked out one player in particular for criticism.

Murphy was unimpressed with Thiago’s tracking back for Arsenal’s second goal.

“If you watch (Martin) Odegaard sprint forward, Thiago sees him – this is your central midfielder, you’re only playing with two – his reaction to try and get back in is a little bit worrying for me.” Murphy said.

“We know he’s a wonderful technician, but really he should be busting a gut to try and get back in.

“You shouldn’t have your striker, Nunez, overtaking you to try and get in the box to clear the cross.

“That’s a little bit of a concern, especially when you play two in the middle.”

Murphy unimpressed with Thiago’s tracking back

Since arriving from Bayern Munich for £20m, Thiago’s time at Liverpool has been a mixture of frustration and brilliance.

When fit, Thiago slots straight into Jurgen Klopp’s starting line-up.

The Spanish playmaker has dazzled Liverpool fans during the spells where he’s been fully fit.

However, he’s had seven separate injuries since arriving at Anfield, and missed more than 50 matches.

Paul Merson slammed Thiago for his ‘lazy’ tracking yesterday, saying he was caught in ‘no man’s land’.

Garth Crooks previously said that Thiago had ‘turned jogging into an art form’, and he displayed that again yesterday.

It was just the third Premier League match Thiago had been fit to play in this season.

It was also his first league match playing in a two-man midfield since Klopp’s change in tactics.

His work-rate off the ball may now be an issue as Klopp looks to give Liverpool more opportunities to score.

Murphy was clearly unimpressed with Thiago’s effort, and it will be interesting to see if Klopp will start him again against Rangers in the Champions League.