By Dan Clubbe
From the ecstasy of dismantling your fiercest rivals in style to the agony of a limp display against the then bottom of the Premier League strugglers. The last two results have rather summed up Liverpool’s season and unfortunately, remain the reason why neither a top-four finish nor a place in the next round of the Champions League remain in Jurgen Klopp’s control.
Despite this inconsistency, a three-goal deficit, injuries to key players and a trip to the European champions’ own backyard, somehow the Reds aren’t completely written off from performing a miracle in Madrid.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Stefan Bajcetic are the latest additions to the list of absentees through illness and an abductor problem, whilst Thiago and Luis Diaz remain on the comeback trail but won’t feature at the Bernabeu.
Here’s how I think Klopp will select his XI…
How we should line up: Formation 4-2-3-1
Despite conceding an all too familiar goal against Bournemouth and five to Real Madrid in the first leg, Liverpool have actually been trending upwards from a defensive standpoint and as such the backline is likely to remain much the same.
The midfield department as ever seems to provide more questions than answers, particularly with Thiago, Bajcetic and Henderson sidelined. A selection dilemma between 37-year-old James Milner and 19-year-old Harvey Elliott soundly typifies the problem with Klopp’s squad.
In attack, there are options aplenty, although neither Diogo Jota nor Roberto Firmino have been banging down the door to break into the recently established regulars.
Lineup prediction: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Milner; Jota, Salah, Nunez; Gakpo.
Score prediction: Real Madrid 2-3 Liverpool
Don’t forget to join us for the Uncensored Match Build-Up from 6.45pm on The Redmen TV YouTube…
Before then, catch up with this week’s Redmen Originals Podcast
