Leeds at home - Boxing Day

[Paul12]

Everton game has now been postponed due to their inability to put a side out, ...

That's been a problem for most of the season though.

[labourRed]

At least this was stopped in advance. You do wonder if we couldn't just play Wolves instead.

But at least there was notice and the lads can have a bit of a break I suppose.

[ChesterDave]

At least this was stopped in advance. You do wonder if we couldn't just play Wolves instead.

But at least there was notice and the lads can have a bit of a break I suppose.

I was thinking this sort of fixture juggling might be the solution to a ridiculously crowded fixture list further in the season but I suppose the answer will be that it will punish those fans who have already made and paid for travel plans around that game.

[Buzzo]

So this game is next up.

Weds 19:45 KO

Brilliant that we got to rest a few but we must also have one eye on the Final next Sunday. Motivation for the win here is getting to 3 points behind City.

I'm going strong.

AB

Trent
Konate
Virgil
Robbo

Fabinho
Thiago
Elliot

Diaz
Mane
Salah



I reckon Hendo will play the final so will rotate this one and if we get a goal or 2 ahead we can sub the maestro (Thiago obvs) off.

[Mark79]

Match thread recycling
♻️

[RedReet]

Match thread recycling
♻️

It's irrelevant now, but I genuinely believe had we played Leeds on Boxing Day it would have been a cricket score considering the shape they were in and we'd never have been as blunt against Leicester and dropped points. Ahh well, it's making the ride more fun now and the destination is gonna be the same.

[Big-Red-Ed]

I'm going to this. First game in 2 years so pumped

YNWA

[Mark79]

Thiago and Fabinho scouting the opposition today

[ame]https://twitter.com/smxlfc/status/1495478076439941126[/ame]

[Gray]

Not on tv ffs

[Shaggy]

Klopp says no Jota or Bobby tomorrow.

[Liverpool]

Klopp says no Jota or Bobby tomorrow.

Any updates on Bobby's hair?

[Buzzo]

Any updates on Bobby's hair?

I'm on it. Bobby knows the competition is fierce.

[Sus]

Into these - I do like Neil Atkinson's pre-match emails




WHEN we walked out of Anfield on Saturday, relieved and invigorated, it seemed possible that Manchester City would show weakness but far from inevitable.

We all wanted Liverpool to crank the pressure up and they managed that by placing their three points on the board, but it wouldn't surprise me if a few players in the Manchester City dressing room had hoped to have created a bigger gap by now.

Their manager wouldn't have expected that. Yesterday I did a little thing with the BBC, and the Radio Manchester correspondent made clear that all season Pep Guardiola has been saying Liverpool will emerge strong at some stage.

However, I suspect the Manchester City manager has also been aware that his side have been every so slightly flattering to deceive. The truth is that Manchester City have been on the verge of a stutter for a while. Simply watching their games they have looked imperious in passages, but also strangely vulnerable in others. They have looked a tiny bit less sharp in all phases, but especially around the opposition's box.

Since the turn of the year, in their six league games, they have only created 15 non-penalty chances greater than 0.2 xG. In the six games which preceded the turn of the year they created 25. In Liverpool's last six we created 21.

Eight of those 15 came in one game against Norwich City. That means that they have only created seven chances with an xG of greater than 0.2 in the remaining five.

That's not good and it backs up the eye test - that sides as varied as Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Southampton and Tottenham have limited the quality of their opportunities. To be clear - Manchester City won three of those five games and drew another. They haven't been on their knees. But it is an example of encouragement to both The Reds and potential opponents.

What those five sides (and as a point of order from what we saw on Saturday include, in theory, Norwich City) all have in common is they appear to be well coached and have the ability to allow the game to be played in a way which best suits getting a result.

Tomorrow evening Liverpool face a side who are expertly coached. But they are facing a side who do not have the ability to allow the game to be played in a way which best suits getting a result.

Football people talk a lot about pragmatism. Pragmatism is, in a sense, the best way to get a result in any given game. Tomorrow Leeds United will approach the game with what their coach believes is the best way to get a result, but within his existing framework as to how best to play football across a season.

Marcelo Bielsa's football team will look like his football team. They won't change markedly for Liverpool, for Manchester City or for anyone. Bielsa's view is his approach is pragmatic but pragmatic across 38 games. And it is hard to argue that last season he was wrong. Leeds were never in danger of going down and played in a way that showcased many talents.

This season? Well, the injuries to key players have bitten hard. Has this still been, does it continue to be pragmatic? This is hard to say, but judging an injury hit side from the outside is difficult. Twelve months ago Liverpool were being written off by all comers as a force, something that continued into the summer, with many pundits having them fourth behind a three-horse race.

We knew better.

Tomorrow evening is chance to reinforce that fact. You want a title race? Only one team has shown itself capable of living with City. Only one club has the mentality, talent and approach you need.

Tomorrow evening is massive. In one sense Leeds United are the best possible opposition, in another amongst the worst. Because they will not rest. They will not stop. They will keep looking to score at all stages of the game. There will be no hiding place.

But we shouldn't need one. Tomorrow night is an opportunity. Tomorrow night should be living, alright.

Into these. Because they will be into us. Because there is another crack in the Manchester City armour, not just in underlying numbers but in actual results. Because we have a duty to be Guardiola's worst nightmare. Because we can win this league, you know. And that is the best sentence to write, the best sentence to say.

It's February going on March and we can win this league, you know.

Neil

[Shaggy]

I'd play Kostas again tonight and save Robbo for Sunday. Tempted to do the same with Thiago but we saw how well leaving him on the bench went on Saturday

[Buzzo]

Yeah, Sunday is a real consideration. Need to win both.

Thiago seems made for a final. We can always bring him on with 30 to go if we arent winning and let him do his stuff.

Easy sell for Klopp right now, every game is FKN massive.