Fabinho joined Liverpool from AS Monaco in 2018 and has made 56 appearances in the league over the past two seasons.
The 27-year-old, who primarily operates as a defensive midfielder, has been deployed in the heart of defence following Virgil van Dijk’s serious injury earlier this month.
Fabinho also picked up an injury against FC Midtjylland earlier this week and prior to that, he gave a lengthy interview to UOL in Brazil regarding his new role in the Merseyside club’s back four.
“It has become increasingly natural. I already have some games in this position and some moves are getting more automatic. In terms of positioning, I’m getting better and better,” he said.
“This communication and leadership you notice mainly when he [Van Dijk] is not on the field. We have other communicative players, like Henderson and Milner, but the coach spoke with the backline and said that we had to learn.
“Maybe it is not my profile or Joe Gómez’s, but we don’t have to be afraid to work hard. Sometimes it’s small things like a second ball, movement in pressure and reaction, things that help the midfielders. It’s something I know I have to improve.”
The Brazil international’s current deal with the Reds runs down in 2023, so there’s no immediate worry over a renewal, although he sounds keen.
“I have this [season] and two more years of contract. I intend to fulfil these three years and soon see if there is a renewal or not, but my focus today is on Liverpool and I am very happy here,” he stressed.
“I am in a league that is very good to play, very competitive, when you play here you do not want to leave.”
“Liverpool have grown a lot in recent years, we have a strong team that has everything to continue like this and what we are achieving with this group has entered history. We can do more and more and I want to be part of that.”
Fabinho came up through the ranks of Fluminense’s youth system and moved to Europe even before he could make a first team appearance for the Brazilian side.
“Before I used to say that I didn’t [want to play in Brazil], but today I don’t know, it could happen. It’s still in the maybe [stage] (laughs),” Fabinho stressed.
“I already said publicly that I used to support São Paulo, I still follow the games and see the results, but not in the same way as before.”
“I follow Internacional a little bit because Boschilia is there, I played with him at Monaco and I like him a lot, so I always see the results and it seems like a team that is fit and confident.”
UOL states Fabinho has been a ‘pillar of Liverpool’, but he is in search of having a similar role with Brazil.
