Liverpool need to go back to basics against Crystal Palace

Liverpool need to go back to basics against Crystal Palace.

On Wednesday evening Jurgen Klopp and the lads will play host to Crystal Palace. It will be quite surreal actually to see the Reds play against the backdrop of an empty Anfield. The Kop will be quiet. To my knowledge this has never happened in the long illustrious history of this iconic venue.

Liverpool will be looking to bounce back from a less than stellar outing in their first match post-COVID as they had to accept a point in a lucky draw with rivals Everton in the derby, this Sunday past.

Klopp and Liverpool will be seeking to find their form, particularly in the final third. A poor, lackluster effort up front, bankrupt of creative spark, saw the Reds muster only three uninspired shots on goal at Goodison Park.

An absent Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson gave the gaffer a bit of a headache trying to cobble together a defense and offense that had not played together in a league match.

Liverpool need just five points to silence the doubters and haters. Klopp needs to have the squad focused and hungry for this tie. Anything less than three points here should be felt like a loss. There are eight fixtures remaining.

James Milner suffered an apparent hamstring, so consider him unavailable. Salah should be available, as should Andy Robertson. That will be a massive bonus to Klopp.

Joel Matip apparently suffered a slight knock to his great toe, and his availability is in question. This means that Klopp will probably play Joe Gomez at center back next to Virgil van Dijk and leave Dejan Lovren on the bench.

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The defence will probably select itself now, with Alisson in goal and Andy Robertson, van Dijk, Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold making up the back four.

Expect Klopp to go back to his old tried and tested formula in midfield, with Fabinho in the six hole, along Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum. This will give the Reds the midfield with the most experience playing together. If Wijnaldum is having a less than his usual workmanlike shift that we’ve become accustomed to from him, I look for Naby Keita to be called upon at halftime.

Up front the Reds should be at full strength, with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Salah rounding out the side. There is an old old saying that says ‘dance with the one who brung ya!’. There is some great wisdom in this.

Jurgen needs to put his strongest side on the pitch until he has wrapped up the title. Keeping the continuity of the side that created a 25 point advantage is the best way to do this. The unfortunate niggles to Salah 10 days before this restart is a concern. More of a concern yet is the absence of Robertson.

Liverpool will be putting a 19 match home winning streak on the line, dating back to the ‘17 campaign when the Reds suffered their last home loss to none other than Crystal Palace, 2-0.

Klopp will need to better manage his subs this outing. At Goodison he was forced to make two injury subs in defense, without Milner, and possibly Matip, he is left with few defensive options on his bench.

I’m not going to go into a lot of detail and discussion here about Palace, as this is on Liverpool. I don’t want to hear that the lads are rusty or some other kind of excuse making. It doesn’t matter what Palace does or doesn’t do. If Liverpool play the football that we all know they are capable of. The rest is a mute point.

You only need look to how City have returned to play. And they have come back to play with a vengeance. Eight goals in two matches, and there is no rust to be found.

A decisive win here against Palace will set them up nicely to take the crown at the Etihad on the following Wednesday.