In order to still have something to fight for come December time the Reds will need to have cut the deficit to Man City by half to around four or five points. Thankfully for Klopp, the Champions League clashes they are faced with are probably the three easier ties of the six in their group, with home and away ties with Rangers and a trip to Amsterdam against Ajax.Ī poor result against the Dutch champions could even leave the six-time champions on the brink of Europe's second-tier tournament. As it is, they have both already spent time out on the sidelines, and with Fabio Carvalho, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Curtis Jones all on the table the margin for error is small.Īs a result, the hopes of Liverpool's season lie with Fabinho, Harvey Elliot - who has been impressive but is still only 19 - and a 36-year-old James Milner, who is hardly the player he once was, despite his work-rate that could show Alexander-Arnold a thing or two.īoth Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson have suffered hamstring injuries this season Thiago and Jordan Henderson are never more than a few strenuous games away from a stretcher. Yes, Arthur Melo has been added on a temporary basis, but the Brazilian is on his own fitness regime to get up to speed, so off the pace is he. But once again - despite knowing that the World Cup was coming well in advance - he has not recruited amply enough to reinforce his ranks. They barely scrape through a regular season in which the German manager incessantly bemoans the scheduling around the festive period, claiming his side are worse off than others.
Klopp's squad simply isn't big enough to compete. Klopp's side have only won three games in all competitions aside from the Community Shield The fact of the matter is that City look almost unbeatable, and with their depth are unlikely to feel the effects of nine games regardless of what Guardiola might say.
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There's no other way of saying it - the two sides are worlds apart at the minute, and although Liverpool's team is full of world-beaters, it means nothing if they can't show it week in, week out.Įven if you were to take a best case scenario, in which Liverpool were to win four, draw one and lose one, they are unlikely to find themselves back in the top two places which they have called home of late. The way things stand, though, there is surely not a supporter in Liverpool that would be confidently telling the truth when they say they'll beat City come October 16. Liverpool's one saving grace is their overwhelmingly favourable record against the Gunners, but the north London side have begun to show signs that they are here to stay, despite a 3-1 humbling at Old Trafford. Van Dijk is still probably the best defender in the Premier League, but players are now beginning to remember that he is mortal after all - which was where half his power lies - and it certainly doesn't help when his fellow defenders are seen to give up the chase, leaving him to bear the brunt of the memes against Napoli.įorward Luis Diaz has been one of the only bright sparks for Liverpool so far this campaign It says a lot when 21-year-old Kvicha Kvaratshkelia seems to lick his lips in anticipation at the prospect of taking on a defender who previously barred the way for the likes of Eden Hazard and Lionel Messi. It is hard to believe that Virgil van Dijk once went an entire season without being dribbled past, and the previously world-beating Dutchman appears to have shrunk of late as he has begun to lose his aura. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City already look miles ahead of Liverpool with 23 goals so farĪn over-reliance on Mo Salah has been made all too apparent in the absence of Sadio Mane - who looks to have been a far more influential part of Klopp's side than he was ever given credit for - and a constant chopping and changing of a midfield held together with plasters has exposed defensive frailties which braggadocio and bluster had seemingly hidden.
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