Fabinho is often regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, with Sky Sports pundit and former [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] player [[Gary Neville]] saying, "Fabinho... is the best."<ref>{{cite web |last=Bate |first=Adam |title=Why Fabinho is now the Premier League's best holding midfielder |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fabinho-liverpool-worlds-best-defensive-midfielder-jurgen-klopp |website=FourFourTwo |date=November 2019 |access-date=15 May 2021}}</ref> He is a robust, agile player who is valued for his ability to win back the ball in the midfield and recycle possession quickly. His role as defensive midfielder sometimes requires him to drop further back to play as a third centre-back to cover for Liverpool's fullbacks [[Andrew Robertson]] and [[Trent Alexander-Arnold]].<ref>{{cite web |last=El-Shaboury |first=Yara |title=Fabinho 2019/20 – scout report |url=https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/fabinho-201920-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics |website=Total Football Analysis |date=16 November 2019 |publisher=Ronnie Dog Media Comm. V. |access-date=15 May 2021}}</ref>
Fabinho’s reading of the game is considered outstanding and has led to him being nicknamed 'The Lighthouse' by Liverpool assistant coach [[Pepijn Lijnders]] and his teammates.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lusby |first=Jack |title="He is like a lighthouse" – Pep Lijnders' praise of Fabinho's Liverpool role is fantastic |url=https://www.thisisanfield.com/2019/02/he-is-like-a-lighthouse-pepijn-lijnders-praise-of-fabinhos-liverpool-role-is-fantastic/ |website=This is Anfield |date=14 February 2019 |publisher=Soccer Publishing |access-date=15 May 2021}}</ref> Fabinho has been called "the spine of the team [Liverpool]" by team-mate Virgil van Dijk.<ref>{{cite web |title=Liverpool End Their 30 Year Wait 🏆 {{!}} Greatest Premier League Stories |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9QyPpC9MCE |via=YouTube |publisher=Premier League |access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref> Fabinho has also drawn praise for powerful and well-placed long-range goals.<ref>{{cite web |title= Fabinho scores our best long-range goal of the season with absolute thunderbolt |url=https://www.empireofthekop.com/2020/06/24/video-fabinho-scores-our-best-long-range-goal-of-the-season-with-absolute-thunderbolt/ |work=Empire of the Kop |access-date=31 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Liverpool 3 Manchester City 1 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50278816 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=31 March 2023}}</ref> Fabinho cites [[Lionel Messi]] as the toughest opponent he has ever faced.<ref>{{cite web |title="He is like a lighthouse" – Pep Lijnders' praise of Fabinho's Liverpool role is fantastic |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jb5AuI-9pE |via=YouTube |publisher=Sky Sports Premier League |access-date=7 February 2023}}</ref>
