This last week has been huge. It felt huge before it came around, and even with a 3-0 cushion against Manchester City, it still feels like we’re in the middle of something massive. Something yet to be decided. An attitude that’s both sensible but appropriate. Maybe that’s how it needs to be.
There hasn’t been a bigger week for Liverpool since 2009, when we beat both Real Madrid and Manchester United in emphatic fashion on the way to not winning either the Champions League or Premier League title. But this side feels different now. There is a solid plan of action.
On Tuesday night, Liverpool take on a Manchester City side that is the best our league has ever seen. They have it all. The interplay of their attack matches their ability to find and create space deeper in midfield. Pep Guardiola, always a manager to innovate, has found a way to play the type of football that was suggested wouldn’t work in England – skilful, precise and tactical. The power and vision of Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho is matched by the delicate and spectacular play of David Silva. Their ability to move through the field is almost unrivalled. A delight to watch even as an opposing fan.
Liverpool’s team has a duty to be careful at the Etihad Stadium but we also need to be brave in believing that it’s only a possibility, not a certainty that City may score. The same as their team needs to believe it’s a probability, not an impossibility, that we can score if we turn up. We need to be motivated by the fear, not struck by it and there’s a couple of battles that could define how we fare in that respect.
The first will be in the middle of the park. We’re likely to play with Gini Wijnaldum as the deepest midfield player. He doesn’t have the vision to spread play like Jordan Henderson does, but he’s more mobile and has better close control than the captain. He’s able to move past players and beat a press better than most players in our side, and this could be a key plus for us, especially in the first 20 mins.
Whilst Gini may not be asked to press like others in the side, his tactical discipline is vital. Closing passing lanes, not players, will be his – and everyone else’s – main task against the likes of De Bruyne and Silva. Once the ball is won back this way, expect much to go through the former Newcastle man to beat Manchester City’s forward five players and move the ball onto our front four. Here, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mo Salah – if fit (I expect him to be) – will be key at getting the ball forward. If Gini can find the right pass, Liverpool will be dangerous.
One main feature of mixing up our play this year has been Henderson’s ability and accuracy with longer balls. Moving the City players around the pitch in this way would have helped us create space, but this isn’t a tactic we will totally miss out on.
Since Virgil Van Dijk joined Liverpool, he’s been solid in defence and has been used as an early spring to our our attack many times – most notably whilst our captain has been out injured. No doubt, Jurgen Klopp will have plans to utilise the Dutch defenders’ passing ability to skip City’s high press, especially when they lose the ball deep in our half.
If we’re to concede play or defend in numbers at any point – a la last week’s perfect second-half performance – this tactic could be vital. We know City’s defenders find it tough when put under pressure, so this should be another dimension that Klopp will be working to exploit. The earlier we can remind Guardiola’s side that we offer multiple threats, the better that bodes for our overall defending in the game. They will move forward in numbers, so the best thing we can do is remind them of our own many weapons and plant the seed of doubt in the City players’ minds that Pep will be looking to erase. If their worry forces them to hold a pass for even a second longer, it could be the difference between a chance and a block.
We’ve seen time and time again that if City want to win, they can but from 3-0 down, there needs to be some compromise in their play. They can’t fly forward in the same way they did against Manchester United in the first half last weekend, just like they can’t sit back lazily like they did in the second half of that same game either. It’s been proven that Pep’s sides become frustrated when they don’t get their way in big games, from his time in Spain and Germany.
They are prone to losing their heads when put under organised pressure – Liverpool have done this to City twice, United did last weekend, and Wigan did it too – and I’ve no doubt that this is going to be Liverpool’s main strategy: organised, planned pressure. Close down the lanes between their central midfielders and their forward players by being mobile and concentrated in front of them at all times. Keeping shape as they overlap will be important, as they will no doubt look to prod, poke and move our defenders apart to create space. Discipline will be important.
I expect some snide tricks from Guardiola’s side as they will look to create and capitalise on any advantage. Our fair play record is immaculate, and we should look to keep it this way in this game. The game is winnable with 11 men, but with 10, we’ll be overwhelmed. Klopp will know that.
Grabbing a goal will be important to deflate Manchester City, but we’ve got the best manager to work out a plan of action against Pep Guardiola. Whilst we become paranoid about any tricks the City boss may have up his sleeve, we must remember that Klopp’s hands aren’t tied behind his back. He’s a clever manager himself, and one we’re lucky to have in this situation. So bring on City.
Up the Reds.
