Tonight sees Liverpool head into the second leg of a Champions League knockout tie needing to overturn a deficit at Anfield – nothing out of the ordinary then. The Reds are well aware of the task ahead of them but will be taking heart from their opposition’s collapse at this stage last year. Heading into the game, three Liverpool players risk suspension in the later rounds.
Three Liverpool players risk suspension tonight against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
The first leg saw Liverpool fall to a 1-0 defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Atletico went ahead early on with Saul Niguez tucking in from close range following a deflection off Fabinho, coming as a result of a dodgy corner.
The hosts then dug in deep and defended for their lives whilst also throwing themselves to the floor at every opportunity, conning a pathetically gullible referee.
With a goal lead to turnover there are three Liverpool players risking suspension.
Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez and Sadio Mane all need to avoid going into the referees book – a yellow card would mean missing the first leg of the quarter final should The Reds make it through.
What RTK has to say
This is frustrating to say the least, particularly given the fact that Sadio was yellow carded in the first leg as a result of gamesmanship from the hosts.
However, this isn’t unfamiliar territory – last season The Reds had to face Bayern Munich at home with Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk missing from the side.
If our key players are suspended we should be able to manage in the first leg, we’ve done it before, we can do it again.