Dave Davis explains that Liverpool needs to exhibit their killer instinct to overcome Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United.
The eyes of the footballing world will be on Anfield come Monday night. This is the fixture that most Reds look forward to and the majority of us want the weekend to pass by as quickly as possible. To ensure next week is a positive, though, Jurgen Klopp may well be thinking that attack is his best form of defence.
Liverpool can’t keep clean sheets in the league this season. It’s a fact that there’s no escaping from and the spate of injuries plus the international break won’t have enabled Klopp to work with his favoured back five. Dejan Lovren and Nathanial Clyne appear to be winning their fitness battles for the United game, but there is a worry about whether they’ll be firing on all cylinders and who might miss out.
United has a similar situation at fullback with Luke Shaw in a fitness battle to make the game. With Sadio Mane in the type of form he is right now, he’ll need everything he’s got to keep the Senegalese attacker quiet. Eric Bailly will be tasting his first experience of a hostile Anfield crowd under the lights and if all players win their fitness battles, you’d bet on Firmino to start up top with Lallana in the midfield three. Klopp will want to put pressure on United from the start.
Along with fitness concerns, the ability that United have down the other end will play a part in Klopp’s thinking. Ibrahimovic has already proved a threat in the air and experienced joy against centre-halves such as Morgan and Fonte. Lovren looked suspect against Swansea at times and not many fans will fancy seeing an aerial battle between the two. James Milner may have four goals to date too, but it would be no surprise if Rashford played from the right due to his pace. That would be a whole new challenge for the vice-captain.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
Confidence is at a high after recent results and the greatest thing about the international break is that it’s now over.
There’s real expectation that we should get a positive result and so there should be. Klopp’s record against major teams in the league is superb and the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea have been put to the sword already.
If Lallana and Wijnaldum are both out, then pressure will be on the likes of Can and Sturridge if they do step in to ensure they carry through a pressing game. Liverpool needs to play to their strengths though and go at United from the off on Monday.
13 days left to vote! Rousing the Kop has been nominated, as a result of your votes, to win an award as the Best New Football Blog! To vote for us to win, use the form below!