Liverpool FC old boy Michael Owen says that Thiago Alcantara presents himself to be one of the most influential players in English top-flight football.
The 29-year-old Spanish playmaker was in fine form during the Merseysiders running a riot against a youthful Aston Villa side, with Jurgen Klopp’s much more experienced men recording a 4-1 win over the Midlanders on Friday night in the FA Cup.
Thiago was left on the bench for the cup fixture but came on for skipper Jordan Henderson at half-time with the scoreline level at 1-1 and played a hugely influential role in the centre of the park for the Anfield giants, even picking up the man of the match accolade for his 45-minute-long showing at Villa Park.
According to reports from the Daily Star, Owen was quite lavish in his praise for the former Bayern Munich first-teamer as the ex-England forward, while speaking to BT Sport, made note of Thiago’s brilliant ability on the ball in midfield, the former Reds fan-favourite saying that he would be down to watch the latest Anfield recruit 24/7 in whilst on the pitch.
“This fella just makes me want to watch football 24 hours a day. The way he looks around, the way he gives it the eyes.
“There’s nobody in the Premier League, nobody that plays like him. He’s playing a different type of game than everyone else. His disguise on passes is unbelievable.”
A much-touted arrival at Jurgen Klopp’s outfit had coincided with a long-term injury layoff for Thiago since his move to England from Bayern Munich, with the Spaniard picking up a hamstring issue following a rash challenge on him from Everton’s Richarlison in the Merseyside derby held in mid-October.
