Jurgen Klopp expects a reaction from his Liverpool players after they embarrassed themselves at Napoli. And the Graham Potter era starts at Chelsea…
Game to watch – Liverpool v Ajax
Last week, Jurgen Klopp felt the need to apologise to Liverpool fans for their performance at Napoli. It was a necessary gesture after “the worst performance of my reign”. A ‘horrow show’, he called it. On Tuesday, Ajax arrive at Anfield offering the Reds the opportunity to make amends.
Klopp also spoke of the need to ‘reinvent’ his side, which seems ambitious in the six-day turnaround since being run ragged in Naples. Changes, though, are certain to happen as the manager attempts to provoke his side into showing some of the intensity that made them one of Europe’s most-feared sides.
The return of Thiago will help. Liverpool’s midfield has been a shambles of late and while the Spanish string-puller might not prompt a huge defensive improvement, at least going forward, the front three might not be quite so starved.
Darwin Nunez is ready to feast on Thiago’s gifts and the new boy is already eager to atone for his brain fart in being sent off against Palace that resulted in a needless three-game suspension. At the back, though, is where Klopp needs to find the quickest answers.
One could be to drop Trent Alexander-Arnold. The right-back has been a shadow of himself this season and opponents are preying on his defensive vulnerabilities. Joe Gomez, woeful himself against Napoli, could offer more stability against Ajax, even if Liverpool will miss Alexander-Arnold’s attacking contribution. It is a precarious balance for Klopp but Alexander-Arnold’s recent dip in form cannot be allowed to continue.
In contrast, Ajax enjoyed a stellar start to their group campaign when they pummelled Rangers 4-0. Liverpool faced the Eredivisie champions two years ago but this is a different side, with a dozen different players under a new manager, if not an entirely alien challenge. Back then, Liverpool earned a pair of narrow 1-0 wins, one coming courtesy of a scruffy own goal. Klopp will happily take the same again at Anfield.
Manager to watch – Graham Potter
The weekend’s postponements gave Potter a few more days to get his feet under the table at Stamford Bridge before his first game in charge of the Blues. On Wednesday, against, RVB Salzburg, we’ll get our first glimpse of what a Potter-led Chelsea might look like.
At first, it’ll probably be a lot like…
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