Wednesday night sees Liverpool face Napoli at Anfield. A win for the Reds will guarantee them top spot in their Champions League group. A draw would mean that we would need to avoid defeat to Red Bull Salzburg on the final match day to ensure qualification. If Liverpool win against Napoli on Wednesday it could prove vital to the Premier League title race.
A Liverpool win against Napoli could prove vital to the Premier League title race. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
December is always the most hectic month in the calendar for England’s top division sides. This particular festive period is even more manic than usual for Liverpool. The Reds not only face a build up of league fixtures but must play Aston Villa in the EFL Cup and fly to Qatar for the Club World Cup. If the Reds reach the final in Qatar, as they are expected to do, then they will play an incredible nine games in December.
One of our nine games is Red Bull Salzburg away. If Liverpool win against Napoli then this fixture becomes of no consequence to us. Three points at Anfield means that we can afford to rest key players when we journey to Austria. The tie against Salzburg is sandwiched between a trip to Bournemouth and a visit from Watford. Soon after, the Reds embark on their ridiculous run of cup games.
Titles are won and lost during the winter period, big teams drop points due to tired legs and inclement weather. If Jürgen Klopp can write off just one of these nine games then it will be invaluable to us in the title race. We can send our top players in to important league games with fresh legs. If we have to get a result in Austria then we face sending our players into domestic games fatigued.