Jurgen Klopp believes there is plenty more to come from Naby Keita despite the midfielder being in his best form since he joined the club.

The Guinea international scored for the third successive match in the 2-1 win over Monterrey which booked Liverpool’s place in Saturday’s Club World Cup final against Brazilians Flamengo.

Keita has endured a testing start to his career since joining in the summer of 2018, but having overcome some niggling injuries he is starting to show the form for which Liverpool paid £52million.

“Naby is a player who can score goals,” said the manager. “It is not the highest number of games he’s played for us, but he’s scored a lot of goals already, important goals as well. Absolutely brilliant how he did that (against Monterrey) – and there is so much more to come.

“Maybe if you know Naby a bit longer you would say, ‘OK, that looked really good but there is still some space’. That’s absolutely brilliant news for us.”

Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Show all 22 1 /22 Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Marcelo Barovero - 7 Liverpool's Guinean midfielder Naby Keita (L) is closed down by Monterrey's goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero (3) during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Stefan Medina - 7 Liverpool's English midfielder Adam Lallana (C) passes the ball as he is marked by Monterrey's defender Stefan Medina during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Cesar Montes - 6 Monterrey's defender Cesar Montes collides with teammate Nicolas Sanchez (R) during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP) (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Nicolas Sanchez - 8 Monterrey's defender Nicolas Sanchez heads the ball during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Leonel Vangioni - 7 Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) is marked by Monterrey's defender Leonel Vangioni during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Jesus Gallardo - 7 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: James Milner of Liverpool battles for possession with Jesus Gallardo of C.F. Monterrey during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Dorlan Pabon - 8 Liverpool's Scottish defender Andrew Robertson (L) marks Monterrey's forward Dorlan Pabon during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Carlos Rodriguez - 6 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Divock Origi of Liverpool competing with Carlos Rodriguez during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool FC at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Celso Ortiz - 7 Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (R) is marked by Monterrey's midfielder Celso Ortiz during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Rodolfo Pizarro - 6 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Rodolfo Pizarro of C.F. Monterrey battles for possession with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Rogelio Funes Mori - 7 Monterrey's forward Rogelio Funes Mori celebrates after scoring during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP) (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Alisson Becker - 8 Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker gathers the ball during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool James Milner - 7 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: James Milner of Liverpool battles for possession with Jesus Gallardo of C.F. Monterrey during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Joe Gomez - 6 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Joe Gomez of Liverpool during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool FC at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Jordan Henderson - 6 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Jordan Henderson of Liverpool during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool FC at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Andrew Robertson - 7 Liverpool's Scottish defender Andrew Robertson throws the ball into play during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 7 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Liverpool competing with Leonel Vangioni during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool FC at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Adam Lallana - 7 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Adam Lallana of Liverpool breaks away from Dorian Pabon of C.F. Monterrey during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Naby Keita - 8 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Naby Keita of Liverpool scores his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Mohamed Salah - 7 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool breaks away from Leonel Vangioni of C.F. Monterrey during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Divock Origi - 6 DOHA, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Divock Origi of Liverpool looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Monterrey and Liverpool at Education City Stadium on December 18, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Monterrey vs Liverpool Xherdan Shaqiri - 5 Monterrey's midfielder Carlos Rodriguez (R) is makred by Liverpool's Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semi-final football match between Mexico's Monterrey and England's Liverpool at the Khalifa International Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images

Roberto Firmino was Liverpool’s saviour, coming off the bench to score in the first minute of stoppage time – yet another late, important intervention in Liverpool’s season, after Keita’s 12th-minute opener had been cancelled out by Rogelio Funes Mori, the twin brother of former Everton defender Ramiro.

It spared them 30 minutes of extra time, which was crucial as they are starting to struggle with injuries and missed Virgil Van Dijk for the match through illness, leaving Klopp to deploy midfielder Jordan Henderson alongside his one fit centre-back Joe Gomez.

“I was actually afraid of the extra time to be honest so I was more than happy when Bobby scored that goal,” said Klopp. “We had to do a few changes because we had no other options, but we wanted some other changes for the line-up.

“It meant we left Trent (Alexander-Arnold) out, Bobby out and Sadio (Mane) out, so that gives us then the opportunity when the game is not decided to make a decision. That Bobby scored the goal is just wonderful. He came on and was immediately in the game, really good situations.