‘Box clever, be smart’: Chris Sutton warns full-backs ahead of RB Leipzig

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Chris Sutton has a warning for Liverpool’s full-backs as they prepare to take on RB Leipzig later today. He wants them to ‘box clever’.

Liverpool are 2-0 up against RB Leipzig. 2-0 up going into the home leg, in fact – that’s a simple, routine job that sees easy progression.

But it doesn’t, does it? Not when you’re losing at home to relegation-threatened sides on a weekly basis. Not when you’re pushing three months without an open-play goal at home.

And this one isn’t even technically at home. Liverpool and Leipzig will play in Budapest, much like the first leg. We’re really not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.

Whatever it is, Liverpool can’t go into this one with even a shred of complacency. Slip up and things can quickly turn around, with no guarantee you can reverse it.

And with that comes a warning from Chris Sutton. He sees the full-backs as key against Leipzig.

“You expect Leipzig will target the left-wing on Wednesday,” he wrote for the Daily Mail. “Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t nearly as good defensively as he is going forward. That’s no secret – he loves venturing into the opposition half.

“Liverpool’s full-backs will need to pick and choose their moments to maraud down their wings on Wednesday. Box clever. Be smart.

“Don’t gift Leipzig chances because you decided to join an attack at the wrong time.”

What RTK has to say

Before we say anything, we should point out that Leipzig wing-back Angelino says attacking the space behind the full-backs is their plan.

So Sutton is absolutely on the money, here.

Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson must both be careful. Though, we’d say that regardless. Teams have consistently attacked that space over recent weeks.

Liverpool usually cover the space with Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk – elite sweeper centre-backs. But they’re not there, of course, and their replacements aren’t near as good at that job.

The midfield, too, usually drifts wide to stop counter-attacks when full-backs push on. But the midfield has been dysfunctional for months and regularly fail to do so.

Thus both full-backs must be careful, as Sutton says. They can’t take many risks and must keep things secure. Cut that space off until you know the attack is on.

But we’re talking about a pair of full-backs who have made two Champions League finals, winning one. They know how to win European ties.

So no one should be overly worried. As long as the duo are on in, Liverpool should be fine.