Two of three difficult games out of our way, we travel to Etihad to face City before we head into another international break.
The form in last 5 PL games looks grim for us, but we looked really good against Villa and Madrid and would love for us to head into this international break with a positive mood, unlike the previous one.
We have 5 days to recover, so unless there are unforeseen injuries, the same side as that against Madrid is what I’ll prefer. Gakpo might, however, be a change Slot may look at for Wirtz. Our away form hasn’t been good and it thus would be a different test than the last 2 games.
City are 1 point ahead of us in the table and as much as Arsenal are clear at the top, both City and us are more than capable to catch them in the long run. Win this and we create doubts in the minds of people who had written us off.
Haaland will be the key player in focus, but I am more concerned of Donnarumma with the PSG nightmares and Courtois performance still fresh in the mind.
Huge game and the lads would be up for it for sure. YNWA!
Match Officials
Referee - Chris Kavanagh
Assistant Referee #1 - Dan Cook
Assistant Referee #2 - Stuart Burt
Fourth Official - Samuel Barrott
VAR - Michael Oliver
VAR Assistant - Timothy Woo
I like Gakpo, I think he is hugely underrated along with some other players by sections of fans.
But this match I will go with the same team including Wirtz. Wirtz probably gave the best account of himself in the Real match. And, fitness permitting, he should be rewarded to start in one of our key matches. He needs to see that Slot has confidence in him after a wonderful performance.
Neither. I’ll avoid the result and watch the replay.
8pm matches are ok, they are at 7am, so CL is fine. Lunchtime kick offs aren’t bad either, but the classic afternoon games aren’t possible for an old fart like me.
Arsenal might (fingers crossed) drop points at Sunderland. Xhaka will surely try to run the show and maybe do enough to annoy Arsenal and break up their play.
If they do drop points it gives more momentum to us for Sunday.
Just keep Haaland quiet (not easy) and we will prevail.
The last two games were much better. I thought we were excellent against Real Madrid.
I would definitely keep Wirtz in the side. He has more to his game than Gakpo, although Gakpo can be a fired up sub for a couple of positions for this one.
Robbo has done really well but I would probably put Kerkez back in as I’m not sure Robbo has it in him to do three games at a high level in quick succession. Kerkez needs some time to fully get up to speed and learn our ways, and watching how Robbo went about his business will have helped him. He needs to get on that pitch to iron out a better understanding with VVD, and learn when we want him to stay or go. It will come. And if Robbo sits for this one he will still see plenty of action this season in other games, as we fully integrate Kerkez.
Fantasy team, Haaland has been my captain, probably the same as half the people who play the game, but I just took that off him. There’s no way I can back against my own Liverpool team. Van Dijk will have an imperious game and Beluga won’t get a sniff.
We have 24 hours more rest, so we cant use the tired excuse.
The stadium will be half full, so we cant use the vicious atmosphere excuse.
Humans are one of the main predators of the beluga whale, we have 11 on the pitch so we can’t use that excuse.
It’s easier to just win rather than find a legitimate excuse.
