Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Liverpool will have to be at their best to stop Moises Caicedo and Brighton this weekend.
The Reds boss was asked about his plan for the midfield for Sunday’s game in his pre-match press conference today. Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister ran rings around Liverpool two weeks ago. And Klopp was asked if the two players make sorting out the midfield for Sunday ‘more important.’
“Against Brighton especially its massively important to defend the first line,” responded the manager. “They are that good, with Caicedo and MacAllister, the two centre-halves calm-like, the goalie, really calm. So, they just pass the ball through it if the front three is not defending well, and that was our problem against Brighton [two weeks ago].”
With Caicedo heavily linked with a move to Liverpool over recent weeks, Klopp clearly rates him extremely highly.
Liverpool prepare for Brighton 2.0
The latest on Caicedo potentially joining Liverpool isn’t especially good news. It seems as though Chelsea are still willing to push ahead with a bid in the final days of the transfer window.
With the Reds seemingly out of the running until the summer at least, that could be a death-knell to their chances of signing him.
Still, Brighton are setting the fee extortionately high. £75m appears to be more or less what they’re looking for to sell the 21-year-old. Liverpool reportedly don’t see the value in that. You can’t blame them.
Then again, they might be treated to a front-row seat as to why Caicedo is so coveted once again this weekend. Last time the two teams met, the Ecuadorian ran the show alongside Mac Allister.
Liverpool cannot allow that to happen again. If they have any shred of pride at all, they’ll go to the Amex on Sunday ready to do anything to get the win.
They were humiliated there in very recent memory. To be so easily put to the sword again would be a real embarrassment to the players and the club they represent.
Thankfully, Liverpool have improved marginally in the two games since that 3-0 loss. Two clean sheets show that Klopp has his players slightly better drilled. That will be important as they travel to face a team in good goal scoring form.
Brighton have threat all over the pitch. Liverpool know that better than most. But you feel that stopping Caicedo and Mac Allister in midfield will be absolutely key to getting the win on Sunday.