This is a dangerous one, as they are the definition of a wounded animal. I also genuinely hope that the players won’t let recent praise get to their heads, because they’ll need to be at 150% in order to get something from the game.
If we can get the three points from that one, I’ll be over the moon to be honest. It would be more than sensational. But it’s far from done.
Well we can’t be 150% (sorry pet hate).
In any case you really get the sense from Slot that he doesn’t tolerate complacency. That fucking forest game still keeping him up at night.
I think the boys will be well up for this. City obv have players that can hurt us, as can the refs. Would love us to tear into them from the first minute, break them, meaning Tierney and co have no opportunity to influence the game
I’d actually be shocked if they come to Anfield and mount a stiff resistance.
They’re not fighters. These past years they’ve preferred to bore teams to death. If we get an early one they will fold faster than someone holding two-seven offsuit.
Agree with all that. The way they performed recently you’d expect our players to run circles around KdB, Gündogan, Silva…
But it’s football…
NO justified early yellow/red cards please - We will have enough worrying about the unjustified ones that could well be brandished in our direction… Apart from that… GO FOR IT…!
Its a bit premature to write City out of anything this season.
They have been poor of late, but I wouldn’t dance on their grave just yet.
The officials worry me, they have the capacity to fuck us over, but thats par for the course a lot of the time anyway.
Trent will be back. He is the first choice right back while he’s here. Bradley was tremendous the other night, but lets be honest he isn’t keeping Trent on the bench.
Robbo needs to be super careful on Sunday. He is a penalty waiting to happen if not.
Hopefully Konate is fit.
If not, Gomez at CB.
Excited doesn’t cover the current Liverpool buzz
Trent is back it said on the official.
I’m hoping that Darwin has learned from his yellow for rolling around on the floor on Wednesday.
I’m not convinced that the concept of learning has registered with Darwin yet.
He needs to evolve his skillset.
I thought Darwin’s yellow on Wed was really harsh. The defender had his shirt by the scruff of the neck and was roughing him up, putting hands on him and hitting him with some force too. Darwin was at pains to show, with his arms in the air, that he was being roughed up. When the defender pushed his hand in his chest he went over a bit too theatrically, which is rife in the game as almost everyone goes over, and the ref booked the pair of them. It was 90/10 in terms of what they were up to, but 50/50 in that they both got a yellow. To me it looked, rather unfortunately, as though Darwin’s reputation went before him and he got a yellow too.
Anyway, can’t wait for Sunday’s game.
I like the wounded animal metaphor. Man City are on a bad run and we are doing well and have just put in probably our best performance of the season so far. We are flying, and that’s what has me a bit concerned.
Man City are still stocked full of good players (to my mind the side is getting too old and needs some work for the next team to be built, but with all the question marks over the club that side of things seems on pause). In the meantime, I think they still have a very good side and Pep will be doing his utmost to make sure they get a result at Anfield.
As others are saying, we cannot trust the refs either. I will gladly accept being refereed even handedly, even with the odd mistake thrown in, for or against, as that’s the game. But it feels more like the exception to the rule whenever we are reffed evenly. My hope is the pleasant, smiling fella at the helm, Arne Slot, is doing his own PR in that regard (shouldn’t have to, but it is what it is) and at least working hard to not have referees hate us. If so, it’s a start, and will help in the long run.
Anyway, I don’t like to give too much attention to the refs, and on the actual teams themselves, rumors of Man City’s demise might easily be premature, and the confidence we all feel in light of what we are doing needs to be tempered by the fact that we are still some way short of the half way mark.
Like all reds I hope we put in a performance like the one against Real Madrid. If we do, we will win well. But I will happily take the three points, however they come. And no injuries.
If Virgil does the same to Haaland as happened to Darwin on Wednesday, it will be a red card and a penalty.
Darwin is a bit silly at times, but he was the victim in the altercation and still got booked…
But as we know, some supporters will see it as another stick to beat him with.
He rolled around like he had been punched on the nose by a heavyweight champion. If he had simply sat back and looked at the ref with a FFS expression he would have been fine. As it was he was trying to get the player sent off. Simulation, and a yellow card, unfortunately.
Isn’t this the consequence of Liverpool players not receiving free kicks that other teams would be awarded?
Granted, Darwin isn’t the brightest and probably can’t distinguish between the Premier League and Champions League, but the difference in refereeing between us and other teams may have caused his reaction.
I hear you, he did exaggerate, but I saw it a bit differently. There was a lot of contact and roughing up before the hit to the chest that he went over for. It was theatrical, but I saw the rough play as 90/10, with Darwin the very minor participant, but the punishment an even 50/50 with both getting yellows.
Not a hill I will die on though. He was at fault for the way he went over, but to my mind a heck of a lot happened before that point, from the defender, and the ref let it all go.
Thanks for keeping it brief!
Haha @RedOverTheWater
I’ll give Darwin some praise for remaining on that pitch. The ref was looking to book anyone who breathed too hard for us.
Tell Phil that. You do remind me of Matusow.
I think the yellows were for different things. Darwin was the innocent victim of the rough play. He got his yellow for the simulation.
I’d rather our players didn’t pick up unnecessary cards. I’d include Mo’s bare chested celebrations in that as well!