Liverpool made the late decision to retain the services of Kolo Toure and this is proving to be a wise move by the club. Liverpool were recently given a major blow with the news that defender Martin Skrtel, who has been the mainstay in Liverpool’s back four over the last five years, has suffered a hamstring injury that is likely to keep him out of action for up to 5 weeks.

Since it comes at a crucial time when the FA Cup starts, Liverpool will have been struggling without the presence of Toure. Manager Jurgen Klopp will turn towards the Ivory Coast defender, who can provide decent backup till Skrtel returns to the starting line-up.

Martin Keown reckons that the club are very fortunate to have the former Arsenal and Manchester City defender on board. Toure was linked with a move to Turkish football with the likes of Galatasaray and Besiktas interested in him. One of the few players to have won the league title with two different teams in England, Toure is aiming to become the first to attempt to this feat with three different clubs. He provides vast experience to the starting line-up, which features several players new to English football. The inconsistent run of results in recent weeks has hurt Liverpool’s chances of finishing in the top four.

“Martin Skrtel's injury is a blow to Liverpool's defence but having Kolo Toure as backup is far from the end of the world. He was a tremendous player at Arsenal and he's not just at Liverpool because he's a likable man, he's still a very good player.I felt Brendan Rodgers didn't get the best out of him and there was a nervousness to his play. But since Jurgen Klopp's arrival Toure has looked calm again and the German is fortunate to have a player like him to turn to,” said Keown.