Jurgen Klopp must stop the bleeding or the title is over
Everyone in the world knows that Jose Mourinho will park the Tottenham bus in front of the Tottenham goal and defy Liverpool to score through six or eight defenders in the box.
This is his modus operandi in normal circumstances, and we shouldn’t expect anything different come Thursday.
Tottenham is quick enough through the middle to counter quickly against Liverpool and get behind the defensive backline, which has proven the Reds downfall against Burnley and Saints already this month.
Liverpool held Joel Matip back in their recent loss to Manchester United at the weekend last in their fourth round tie at Old Trafford. He should be ready and available unless of course, he has not regained match fitness.
The Reds are fielding a defensive shape without a proper centre-half, and due to financials, we’re apparently not signing a defensive cover to take the pressure off the beleaguered defence. I should point out here that this just isn’t a heavy lift for the likes of Fabinho, Rhys Williams, Nat Philips and Hendo, who have all been enlisted to keep clean sheets for Klopp and the Reds; it is a damn near impossible task on its face.
These lads have played well and done well for the most part. Any shade thrown at Rhys for his rookie errors is just not warranted. At 19, he is doing a bang up job while being enlisted to fulfil the role of a grown man and not a relative rookie at this level. Liverpool has given up three goals in their last five PL ties, while only scoring one.
Liverpool must stop the bleeding
The Reds have dropped out of the top four and are adrift at seven points behind Manchester City who sit top. We must take all three points here if they do not want to drop out of the title race this campaign.
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While it is not mathematically possible to wrap up a league title in January, it is entirely possible to lose it all in this month. Liverpool has taken only one point in their three outings this month. They have the Hammers in London on the 31st to see out the worst month on points for Klopp and the Reds since he took charge of the club in mid-October 2015.
Indeed since the 7-0 drubbing of Crystal Palace in London on 19 December 2020, Liverpool has dropped more points than in their past two seasons combined over the same period. The past six weeks have wreaked havoc on Liverpool with their inability to finish and score goals.
Losses to Southampton and again at home to Burnley which saw the end of their Anfield unbeaten streak at 68, have seen them go goalless over their last three league ties.
Another first under Klopp, Liverpool have not scored a Premier League goal or won a match in this calendar year to this point. Both Spurs and Hammers are now above Liverpool in the table, and the Champions will need all six points from these two ties if they want to remain in the thick of the title race.
A good deal of pressure will be on the front three to score here as their form has been in question and under-fire in the press and on social media for these past six weeks.
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It will be incumbent upon Klopp to stop the bleeding here and to get his lads up to form for a hell-bent-for leather February which will continue to test this side’s mettle and their championship quality.