After what has been a delightful couple of weeks for Liverpool Football Club, having beaten Chelsea away from home, Derby County’s ambitions deflated, and the Tigers were put in a cage, and had their cage rattled. Jürgen Klopp’s charges will be heading off to Wales this weekend for a trip to the Liberty Stadium, to take on the plucky Swans.
Considering how tight it is at the top of the table, we imagine Jürgen wouldn’t take the chance of a potential slip, since, you know, Swans are very hard to catch, and have this coating on their feathers that make them that… Slippery.
Anyway, we digress. Here’s the predicted XI that’ll try to avoid, you know, any… slip-up.
Defence
Loris Karius gets a start at Derby County, gets a start vs Hull City, and then, as per Jürgen on Monday night, he’s going to get a start at The Liberty. Poor Simon. He did try his best. If only he hadn’t shot off his mouth as often as he does, Liverpool fans might have empathised with the Belgian.
When can you drop Nathaniel Clyne? He’s dynamo in the Liverpool defence, surging upwards tracking back, plugging gaps, exploiting channels, putting in crosses, nipping crosses. He does it all. He’s to start again.
With Joel Matip manning the Liverpool rearguard, there is this assured serenity about it. He’ll be tasked to keep things calm and quiet.
Dejan Lovren returns after a prolonged sit out as Jürgen gave Ragnar [RAGNAAAAR!] a much-warranted run-out vs Derby and then Hull. As the season wears on, expect more of such rotation, to keep his charges ready and hungry.
Klopp cited the example of Alberto Moreno, when speaking about the transgression of Mamadou Sakho, as to what he expect his players’ reaction when they are not afforded the chance. The German stated, of all the players, Alberto has been working the hardest, and so, it’d be only fair that Klopp gives the Spaniard the start we may as well possibly earned.
Midfield
Expect Jordan Henderson, Wijnaldum and Lallana to carry on sniping on at the heels of the Swans; with either of Adam Lallana or Wijnaldum forming the tip of the midfield. Plenty of industry, plenty of pirouettes, and with Swansea City’s two-man midfield, plenty of active possession.
Attack
Roberto Firmino, Phil Coutinho and Sadio Mane are expected to form the attacking trident, as, like against Hull City, they will look to constantly interchange their positions. Firmino as a false 9 is perhaps the most under-rated positional exploits one has carried this season, as the uncanny Brazilian will look to remain one of most difficult players to mark in the Premier League.
