History, trophies and vital goals: Naby Keita's Liverpool career in five moments

15 seconds

Keita made history by netting Liverpool’s fastest ever Premier League goal in April 2019.

Huddersfield Town were the visitors to Anfield and the Reds’ No.8 kickstarted a 5-0 rout by scoring after just 15 seconds.

Keita executed a high press immediately from the Terriers’ kick-off, nicked the ball back and duly applied a first-time finish to Mohamed Salah’s pass.

Post-match, Jürgen Klopp detailed: “We analysed before the game that these passes, if you can put pressure – you saw the distance of Naby in that situation was pretty big actually, but with two or three really quick steps he was there.

“I was surprised, so how can the Huddersfield player not be surprised there is somebody? Because a second ago nobody was around. It was a brilliant situation of Naby and then the gaps are open.”

A helping hand in Liverpool history

Keita was a key member of the side that further etched its mark on the club’s history books by becoming the first Liverpool team to lift the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019.

The No.8 set the Reds on their way to a semi-final victory over Monterrey by opening the scoring in a 2-1 success.

Again Salah was the provider, the Egyptian slipping a clever reverse through ball into the path of Keita, who had broken forward from midfield before dispatching a cool, first-time finish – and Klopp was effusive in his praise afterwards.

“Naby, what a player – very decisive, super goal, another chance,” the boss stated.

“That’s his strength, in small spaces he feels quite comfortable, so that helps us a lot. The runs in behind when we are already high up the pitch, that’s an exceptional skill of him that he goes there.”

Keita then played 100 minutes of the final, during which Liverpool beat Flamengo 1-0 thanks to Roberto Firmino’s extra-time winner.

Getting the party started

July 22, 2020 will go down as a landmark date in the history of Liverpool FC. Finally, the 30-year wait was over.

The Reds were champions of England again and they got their hands on the Premier League trophy after playing out an eight-goal thriller with Chelsea, although the COVID-19 pandemic meant supporters were unable to attend the match and the subsequent celebrations inside Anfield.

It was Keita who got the party started with a rocket of a shot from outside the area that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

Liverpool would run out 5-3 winners – the ideal way to prepare for a trophy lift that took place on the Kop.

Sparking an extraordinary rout

It is, without question, one of Liverpool’s most extraordinary Premier League results – and Keita started it all.

Manchester United 0-5 Liverpool.

Just five minutes had elapsed at Old Trafford when Keita strode forward from midfield and slotted home to put the Reds a goal to the good at the home of their arch-rivals in October 2021.

Again it was Salah who provided the assist and just over half an hour later, Keita returned the favour by setting up the first goal of the Egyptian’s hat-trick.

An outstanding individual display was cut short by a crude foul in the second half but Keita had already made his mark on a victory no Red will forget.

Flawless technique

Just five days before that win at Old Trafford, Keita had scored arguably his best goal in a Liverpool shirt.

Returning just over two years on from lifting the trophy there, the Reds travelled to Estadio Metropolitano to take on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League group stage. A thrilling encounter ended 3-2 to Klopp’s men and it was an occasion lit up by a moment of utter brilliance from Keita.

Salah had already put the visitors 1-0 ahead before Keita unleashed a flawless volley from the edge of the penalty area that flew beyond Jan Oblak.

It was a moment of jaw-dropping technical quality and a telling factor behind an impressive away victory.