Xabi Alonso has praised Fabinho and believes the two have similarities in their playing style.
The Brazilian - who briefly played with the Spainard on loan at Real Madrid in 2012/13 - endured a slow start to his career at Anfield but has established himself as a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s engine room.
Both players won the Champions League with Liverpool in their debut season and Fabinho played in all but 13 minutes of the six knockout ties that came before the final against Tottenham in Madrid during the Reds most recent - and sixth - European Cup triumph.
“I think that we could have similarities in terms of the position, in terms of how we want to connect with the players around, how he makes the players around him better players, making them play easier and play better,” Alonso told the official club website .
“Taking many small, correct decisions is part of being a midfielder and he does it very well.
“He came to Madrid and you could see that technically he was very good, physically he was very good, but he was playing right-back.
“I think that he can play everywhere because of his understanding of the game and he is able to read what’s going to happen and how he wants to do it, but I think the step he made in Monaco was beautiful.
“Playing that midfield role, he’s able to connect to the close ones, to the farther ones and I really like the way he plays: his understanding of the game, he’s involved in the game, taking the small decisions but ticking in all of the moments and I think that’s the job of a midfielder.”
