Liverpool v Manchester City Sunday 14/01/18 K.O. 16.00

Mainly the fact that City are unstoppable, but also due to the fact our best player in thi fixture for the last 3-4 years is no longer here, and I do not expect Gini / lallana to have the same affect

Yeah i miss Gerrard to 😃

YNWA

                         Karius
TAA      Matip           VVD      Robertson
                          Can
            Ox                   Lallana
Salah           Firmino                   Mane

Has to be Ox in that midfield 3 for me. These are the best side in the EPL at the moment so we need some energy in midfield or we could get over run. Now that Coutinho has gone Klopp may very well change the system though.

Read some crazy stat today that Man City have only won at Anfield twice in the last 50 years..
That's pretty mental given their recent form these last few years..
It proves we can raise our game against them and I have every belief we'll do it again on Sunday.
A game when our home crowd can be the extra man.

I had a snoop around on their Bluemoon fans forum and came across an interesting comment ;

The problem with Liverpool is their pace. For all Otamendi's improvement, and all his fantastic play, he's still going to get left in the dust against Mané or Salah and our high line will give their midfielders a lot of room to aim for.

I do think we're a bit better prepared for that with Delph in the team and 433 vs. Mendy in a 352 - Delph's speed and deeper starting position should mean a lot more help for Nico, but it's still going to be a worry all game.

If we can stop that threat though, our midfeild will completely boss theirs, and they will still have dodgy defence even with VVD.

Interesting he comments about their high line which is why we need that Salah and Mane pace on the break with Lallana and Chamberlain backing up the attacks with speed.
Love that naivety about our defence
To beat this lot you have to play them at their own game and I think we are more than capable of doing that.

Jesus is injured so I'm told but that doesn't matter as they have plenty of goalscoring options..
My heart says a goal fest 3-3
My head says a well fought 1-1
My Inner soul tells me we'll win 1-0

Either way it's gonna be a cracker !



 

Man City are the best team in the PL right now imho by a decent margin.
But don't think we should change our game, we need to go out and play ours.
Would go with:

             Karius
Gomez Matip VVD Robertson
        Gini Can AOC
     Salah Bobby Mane

Hopefully Mo is back fit.
If he's not, would start Lallana - though would start AOC ahead of Lallana, don't think Adam has been great since his comeback.
Need Mane to up his game, and owes City after getting the red in the away match.
Set pieces could be important for us, Matip and VVD give us a real threat, and AOC's delivery for them in the derby match was really good.
Need Can and Gini to really get stuck in. Emre comes in for a lot of stick, but he's important in this game, the one guy that is abrasive in the middle and can put himself about and make it uncomfortable for them - if he can get close.
Cou wouldn't have played, so no point moaning about him not being here for this one.
Massive game. Looking forward to it already

Can't come quick enough

Karius

Gomez   Lovren   Van Dijk   Robertson

Wijnaldum   Milner   Lallana     

Oxlade   Firmino   Salah

If Salah isn't fit, Mane but Mane is so far out of form right now he isn't really justifying his place in the side.

Keep Karius in. But he has to be sure of his distribution. And we have to be alert for his quick throw outs.

Karius

Gomez
Matip
VVD
Robbo

Can
Alex
Lallana

Salah (if not fit Wijnaldum)
Firmino
Mane

                 Karius
Arnold Matip Dijk Robbo
                Can Gini
     Salah Oxlade Mane
               Firmino

Actual football... looking forward to it!

Have a hard time believing it's going to be anyone but Migs in goal.

Look at Barca's cushy league fixture list..hardly breaking sweat until they face Chelsea.

http://www.skysports.com/barcelona-fixtures

We face a battle starting with the City game, until the end of the season. So it's not only the money and medals Coutinho will be getting. It's a much easier league programme, that will likely mean less injuries,less intensity, less physicality, fresher for the C/L and longevity in terms of his playing career.

My heart says a goal fest 3-3My head says a well fought 1-1My Inner soul tells me we'll win 1-0

So we're gonna win then?

Look at Barca's cushy league fixture list..hardly breaking sweat until they face Chelsea.

http://www.skysports.com/barcelona-fixtures

We face a battle starting with the City game, until the end of the season. So it's not only the money and medals Coutinho will be getting. It's a much easier league programme, that will likely mean less injuries,less intensity, less physicality, fresher for the C/L and longevity in terms of his playing career.

I don't think that's what he had mind when he was itching to leave

I don't think that's what he had mind when he was itching to leave

I think the physical demands of playing in the Prem did play a part in his decision, may be not a major bearing on his decision but still.

I think the physical demands of playing in the Prem did play a part in his decision, may be not a major bearing on his decision but still.

I agree. Was watching Henry Winter on Sunday supplement saying the big winner out of this move in the short term given he can't play in the UCL are Brazil. I''d not be surprised if Brazil manager was encouraging him to move now to be more rested for the world cup.

                 Karius
Arnold Matip Dijk Robbo
                Can Gini
     Salah Oxlade Mane
               Firmino

Won't be used I don't think because his head is on the Holgate situation.

Won't be used I don't think because his head is on the Holgate situation.

Why?

If he knows 100% that he didnt say anything which he will then he won't really give it a second thought

He sent a message on Instagram straight after the game celebrating the win, he's been on a few days holiday with his mate (Allan) in Cyprus and looks fine and happy, he's back in training

He's professional and I bet he plays

No reason why Bob should not play and it would send out the wrong signal if he didn't. We will need as strong a side as we can muster, all hands to the pump for this one.

No doubt there will be a lot of hype around this one but ultimately games like this won’t be deciding where we finish in the league. Trips to Swansea and Huddersfield after are the bigger games so I’d take a point here.

Saying that though it would still be quality to end their unbeaten run!

Karius; Gomez, Van Dijk, Klavan, Robertson; Can, Gini, Lallana; Salah, Firmino, Mane.

I'd go with this:



 

Having watched them huffing and puffing against Bristol City yesterday, with half of their first team on the pitch, I really have the feeling that they are running out of steam a little bit and have been for the last few weeks. If we turn up and play to the best of our ability then I fancy us to win this game

This should be the toughest game of the season for City.

What ever the result they will know they have been in a game. The two best attacks in the league squaring off at a red hot Anfield, I can't wait.

Hopefully Lallana is somewhere near 100% fitness as the key to beating them will be our energy and pressing led by the irreplaceable Firmino.
Coutinho won't be missed for this one.

We need to make sure they don't walk through our midfield as we sometimes have a tendency to let opposition teams play between the lines too easily and having them run straight at our back line.

We will get opportunities against Stones, Delph etc just need to make them count.

Karius

Gomez
Matip
VVD
Robertson

Can
Gini/Ox
Lallana

Salah
Mane
Firmino

I wonder if Gini or Milner can play as the holding midfielder with Ox and Lallana in front of them.

I think man city knows that Emre Can is not agile and very slow to get rid of the ball and they will press him every time he gets the ball, to force a mistake. Milner and Gini can recycle it better.