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Fabinho: 'Second Liverpool title would be more special'

Fabinho: 'Second Liverpool title would be more special'
© Reuters
The Brazilian midfielder turned defender is set to make his 100th for the club against West Brom on Sunday.

Liverpool star Fabinho admits a second Premier League title would be more special than the first as it would put Jurgen Klopp's side "further in to football history".

The Reds ended a 30-year wait to be crowned champions of England in July with a whopping 18-point advantage over Manchester City.

Liverpool have made light of injury problems this season to hold a four-point lead over Christmas in the chase for successive titles.

Liverpool v Ajax – UEFA Champions League – Group D – Anfield
Fabinho, left, has impressed in his new central defensive role for Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA)

"This team will be remembered for how well we play, the quality of our football and for winning the title," Fabinho said in an interview with the Daily Mail.

"But to fight for the second one would put us further in to football history. It would put us up there with teams in the Premier League that have won back to back titles. Teams like Manchester City.

"It would put us on the higher level and put us with the best teams in the history of the league.

"Taking into account everything that has happened this year, the difficulties of no fans in the stadiums and the busy run of fixtures and injuries we have had, it all adds to making the second title more special than the first one if we could do it.

"It would show that we have this constant desire at the club to be winners."

Long-term injuries to Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez has forced the Brazilian midfielder to drop deeper into central defence.

Yet the 27-year-old has hardly put a foot wrong since Liverpool's last domestic defeat, the 7-2 horror show away to Aston Villa at the start of October.

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool – Premier League – Wembley Stadium
Liverpool have lost central defenders Virgil Van Dijk, left, and Joe Gomez to long-term injuries this season (Adam Davy/PA)

Fabinho said that plans for him to play at the back had been in operation almost from the day he arrived at Liverpool in July 2018.

"Back then the coach saw the need for someone to be available so I started working on that position, getting used to it, working with potential partners," said Fabinho, who is set to make his 100th Liverpool appearance against West Brom on Sunday.

"We had three centre-backs at the time so it was all just a test for me, just to be prepared. The coach had identified that there could be a need further down the line.

"So when I came in I felt good and comfortable and over time it's got easier.

"When Virgil got injured I expected to come in as centre-back and even the other players were joking. They were saying: 'Fabinho the defender is back, he is here'.

"Yes I was nervous at first but I think I have grown in to it."

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rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1696137201733
2Manchester UnitedMan Utd159333123830
3Leicester CityLeicester169252920929
4Everton159242619729
5Aston Villa1482428141426
6Chelsea1675431181326
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1575326151126
8Manchester CityMan City147522112926
9Southampton167542519626
10West Ham UnitedWest Ham166552321223
11Leeds UnitedLeeds167273030023
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves166371521-621
13Arsenal166281619-320
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155461724-719
15Crystal Palace165472029-919
16Burnley15447920-1116
17Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton162771825-713
18Fulham152581323-1011
19West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom1615101135-248
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd160214827-192

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