Liverpool legend Steve Nicol is in favour of sticking with Naby Keita and giving him more time to make his mark at Anfield.
The Reds paid big money for Keita when they signed him from RB Leipzig in 2018, but he has struggled to live up to his billing at the European champions.
Keita has made just 20 league starts, four this season, since joining Liverpool and has been a squad player at the club despite the price tag attached to him.
Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann has already insisted that the club will never the see the player they thought they were signing, but Nicol is prepared to be more patient with the midfielder.
He believes competition for places in the Liverpool midfield has not helped him, but the former Red believes Jurgen Klopp must stick with Keita and give him more time to prove his mettle at Anfield.
Asked if it is too early to call Keita a flop at Anfield, the former Red said on ESPN FC: “Yes, I think it is.
“I think because of the strength in depth Klopp’s got in the middle of the field, when Naby Keita came in and didn’t settle very quickly, then you don’t play him because you can play other players.
“Certain teams can bring a player and even though they are not quite hitting the heights you thought, they have to stick with them and they have to give them time.
“Yes, he hasn’t lived up to what we thought he could be just yet, I think he still can, but he certainly will need more time.
“I am not ready to call him a flop yet.”
Keita still has more than three years left on his Liverpool contract to run.
