To win the club’s first league title since 1990, the Liverpool manager must stop his side being weighed down by it all, as happened to Steven Gerrard and co five years agoTake a journey along Utting Avenue, past where the old Clarence pub used to be, with Stanley Park on the right and Anfield at the top of the hill, and the series of red banners that Liverpool have placed strategically along the roadside offer some idea about the way this club, 18 times champions of England, like to portray themselves.“We are Liverpool, this means more,” is the message attached to the various lampposts leading up that hill, past the Taskers angling shop, the Anfield Cheque Cashing Centre and all...
At times West Ham looked like a team of attacking terrors and Jürgen Klopp must stitch and mend his depleted defence before the trip to Old Trafford at the end of the monthAs West Ham pressed forward with real vigour in the first half at the London Stadium there was something lurking just below the background noise, getting louder with every breakaway, every snatched chance. There it was again 10 minutes after half-time as Felipe Anderson dropped deep and turned away from Joël Matip like a man absent-mindedly swerving a discarded traffic cone: the sound of something starting to creak.At the end of this tight, fretful 1-1 draw in the Stratford leisure zone it was hard to avoid the evidence...
Pursuit of league title has been based on a formidable defence but Jürgen Klopp’s forward line is hitting collective stride tooIt was fitting the Roberto Firmino no-look finish returned to Anfield on the day Liverpool threatened to disappear from view in the title race. Arsenal were annihilated with a swagger and a smile and the Brazilian forward was their tormentor once again. He could not have timed a return to centre stage any better.When Jürgen Klopp claimed Liverpool had room for improvement before Arsenal’s latest ravaging at Anfield it was his forward line, and arguably Firmino in particular, he had in mind. Liverpool’s pursuit of that elusive 19th league championship has been based so far on a formidable defence –...
The goalkeeper’s form has been vital for Jürgen Klopp’s team but is part of a tweaked approach that could pay rich dividendsA cross from the right. Two defenders jump and can’t quite connect. Dejan Lovren, startled that the ball has got as far as the back post, realises too late that Arkadiusz Milik has stolen behind him; he cannot get to the forward in time. Time slows. Milik is in form; he has the best goals‑per‑minute ratio in Serie A this season. Eight yards out with just the goalkeeper to beat, it seems he must score the goal that will put Napoli through.But Milik doesn’t score. He jabs without conviction. Alisson does everything he can, springing from his line, spreading...
Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have both reined in their attacking instincts this season, aware of leaving gaps in defenceIt is all about the full-backs but these days it is always all about the full‑backs. From a tactical point of view Sunday’s meeting between Liverpool and Manchester City is likely to be settled by Trent Alexander-Arnold against Aymeric Laporte and Andy Robertson against Kyle Walker – and, if it is not, it will be because Pep Guardiola has chosen not to take on that fight. Jack Charlton’s observation after the 1994 World Cup that full-back had become the most important position on the pitch seems wiser by the day.Full-backs, Louis van Gaal insists, are the key to Guardiola. The biggest...