Liverpool central midfielder Naby Keita ran rampant against a helpless Genk side in his side’s UEFA Champions League third group stage match of the season, the signs of which were evident from the very manner in which he started the game.
As soon as Liverpool kicked off at the Cristal Arena in Belgium, a long heave was sent towards Genk’s goal only to be cleared by a header, sending the ball in Keita’s direction.
The number eight, standing poignantly in the opposition half, simply turned himself around to meet the ball with his back and send it rolling towards explosive fullback Andy Robertson.
The first thing Naby Keita did was make a pass using his back against Genk
To think the highlight reel moment came in the eighth second of the pulsating match and was pulled off with such composure would undoubtedly make even Ronaldinho proud.
Keita ran the game for his team pulling strings all around the pitch as the reigning champions put in a dominating performance.
An Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain brace and a goal each from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane helped them come away with an easy 4-1 win, but it was undoubtedly Keita who was the unsung hero of the match.
The 24-year-old ended up with 110 successful passes on the night and yet it was his first touch of the game that would be remembered for a long time to come by the Anfield faithful.
