According to James Pearce, of the Liverpool Echo, Klopp was subjected to some weird questions that would test the composure of most managers.
Advertisement
“But I think he’s desperate for a clean sheet”. We know what Liverpool are capable of, but the ball is round.
They’ve drawn their last two league games against Anzhi Makhachakala and Tosno, a mid-table and newly promoted side respectively, conceding second half goals to in both games to concede the lead.
The Reds have shipped 13 goals in their last five away games and their leaky defence is a concern for their manager.
As Spartak Moscow manager Oleg Romanchev puffed his cigarette, slumped in his dug-out, an impressive hat-trick from a 23-year-old Michael Owen earned Liverpool the win. Spartak Moskva has not been much better, as they now sit 7th in the Russian League, drawing with last place Anji at home.
“What has happened with the Champions League is teams are focused on the next (European) game and not the (Premier League) one in front of them”.
Conte is still waiting for his first win against Liverpool and Klopp after a draw at Anfield last season.
They are also missing their Dutch forward Quincy Promes, as well as their club captain due to injury. The pressure will be firmly on them on Tuesday night, as a loss to Liverpool would make qualification hard for them to achieve. With midfielder Mario Pasalic as the only other player to have scored more than a single goal this season, keeping Adriano quiet will be key for Liverpool.
If Klopp has been spared more trenchant criticism, it is because his team, when on song, are capable of playing attacking football of scintillating quality. “And that’s the thing with this Liverpool team, they’re not streetwise enough”.
“We have to defend better and that’s what we’re working on all the time”.
What they’ll get here is a physical scrap.
One adjustment in the front three could see Sturridge – who impressed in a sharp cameo at Leicester, setting up Henderson’s victor – enter to lead the line to give out-of-sorts Firmino a break. For this reason, Liverpool may well be best off letting them have the majority of the ball.
Following back-to-back draws, the capital club were thrashed 5-1 at Zenit St Petersburg before losing derbies against CSKA Moscow and Lokomotiv Moscow.
Advertisement
The Reds make the 3,200-mile round trip to Moscow looking to get the Champions League campaign up and running.
