Liverpool and Manchester United are set to resume their rivalry this Monday night when the two powerhouses of English football come face to face at Anfield. Liverpool are in red hot form right now and are 4th on the table, three places above United. Although there are still some problems at the back, Klopp will be very pleased how lethal his team has been going forward this season. The pace of players Mane and Firmino, combined with the trickery of Coutinho has blown teams away. Liverpool will be without Joe Gomez and Ojo, both of whom are out with long term injuries but there are also doubts regarding the fitness of Lallana and Wijnaldum.
Both Lallana and Wijnaldum have played a significant role in the season till now, therefore it will be crucial how Klopp deals with their absence. The other critical factor could be how the Liverpool backline deals with the likes of Paul Pogba running in from midfield, or the aerial threat of Ibrahimovic. There is also the small case of keeping Marcus Rashford quiet. The English youngster has been in scintillating form this year and is a huge weapon in United’s armory.
With key players missing Klopp will be expected to shuffle things around a bit to best fit the capabilities of his player. One feels Daniel Sturridge might be in for a rare start on Monday. The 27-year old has done well whenever he has been given the opportunity, however, those have been hard to come by. Klopp is known to prefer hardworking players in the team, who can press high up and maintain high energy levels throughout the match. Sturridge is someone who doesn’t quite work with that system but on Monday he will need to be at his best. With Sturridge in the center, Firmino will be expected to shift to the left side hence, Mane might retain his right spot.
Can is a sure shot starter if Wijnaldum fails to recover from his injury on time. He will most likely start in the centre with recently appointed English captain Henderson on the left. Firmino might also shift to the left-hand side and give Coutinho a free roll in the number 10 position. Come Monday, we will see a number of mini battles around the pitch, the outcome could decide which team walks away with all three points.
