Potentially the biggest game for Liverpool Football Club in at least 5 years awaits them this weekend, with fellow title contenders Manchester City the visitors at Anfield. Both sides know that the Premier League is in each other’s hands, and should either side win all of their remaining games, they will be crowned champions. It evidently isn’t possible for both of them however, as the meeting between the two could potentially decide who goes all the way, or give Chelsea a route back into the fight for 1st, who also have to travel to the red half of Merseyside at the end of April.
After a superb away win at Upton Park on Sunday, many have said that Brendan Rodgers would be very wise to name an unchanged side for the visit of City on the weekend. There has been talk of whether Joe Allen or Lucas Leiva should come in for Philippe Coutinho, for extra support in the defensive midfield role and for when keeping the ball away from Yaya Toure, David Silva and the rest. For me, this cannot happen.
For Liverpool to come away with the 3 points on Sunday, they have to control and dominate from the first whistle, just as they have done against both North London clubs at home, at Old Trafford and arguably even at the Etihad in December where they gave Pelligrini’s men a good run for their money, especially in the 2nd half, even though the Reds did lose the game 2-1.
Brendan has a trick or two up his sleeve at the minute, his most noticeable one being how he can switch the team from a 4-3-3 to a diamond 4-1-2-1-2 at any given moment where it is needed, or vice-versa. The diamond is how Liverpool perhaps should start, looking to match them in the middle of the park, with the skipper in his usual role, Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho the runners either side who look to create chances and work all over the pitch, and Raheem Sterling just ahead in the CAM role, where he has excelled in recent weeks with his penetrative dribbling, direct running and lightning pace. It then goes without saying who would partner each other up top.
If this is not to work, it is not a problem. The 4-3-3 can come into action, throwing City off guard by moving to a packed midfield 3 (where maybe Allen or Lucas could be introduced), with Raheem wide right and Luis Suarez to his favoured left, where he can roam in and out as he does best.