Liverpool sit on nine points, Ajax sit on seven points as well as Atalanta, it is poised very nicely for the neutral.
Meaning it’s another big one in the Champions League for Liverpool and they only have themselves to blame.
Inviting one of the biggest European sides to Anfield is always a big occasion but Liverpool could have already been through with no need to worry other than obtaining top spot in the group.
But they got beat 2-0 by Atalanta in a woeful performance so now a win is a must unless yet again Klopp’s men will have to take it to the last day to confirm their progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Injuries are still giving Jurgen Klopp issues with James Milner the latest to be put on the long list of unavailable players, with Klopp congratulating BT Sport with the injury after the Brighton game.
The German manager was defiant as ever though as in his press conference he said: “I said it always as long as we can line up with 11 players, we will fight with all we have.
“And that’s still the case.”
Klopp is lacking options in midfield due to Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara being ruled out as well as James Milner but he will be glad that captain Jordan Henderson is fully available after a brilliant second half performance against Brighton.
Henderson may be in the deeper midfield role again if Klopp persists with Fabinho at centre back alongside Joel Matip who is back after being rested on Saturday.
If Klopp moves Fabinho back into midfield though it should be another Champions League start for Rhys Williams and what a game it’ll be for him as well as Neco Williams who looks set to start his third match in a row due to Milner’s injury and Trent Alexander-Arnold not recovering fully yet.
Neco Williams’ performance against Brighton was not great but Klopp praised him and Rhys Williams in his press confrere saying: “If someone is a youth or academy player at Liverpool, he has for sure a lot of talent. When you come up and make the final step for the first team, that’s a different animal.
“I think the boys did that really well. They have helped us enormously. The only problem they have from time to time, is that people compare them with the guy who played the position before them.
“They are in our case all world class players. That makes it difficult for people to see clearly how talented these boys are. From my point of view, they did really, really well”
A massive confidence booster for the pair especially Neco Williams who was brought off at half-time on the weekend.
All the front four are available for Liverpool with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah being fresh having not played the whole 90 minutes against Brighton but we should expect them both to start due to how vital the game is.
Ajax currently sit top of the Eredivise two points clear of their nearest rivals and Erik Ten Haag’s side on the weekend won by five goals again showing their attacking prowess however Liverpool stopped them in their tracks in the first game of the group so the expectation will be that they can again.
A European night at Anfield, we can hope there will be the 2,000 fans back soon as long as things don’t change but for now the tension will be in your living room watching the television.
Two of the most famous teams in Europe against each other with another pressure situation for Klopp’s reds, they’ve shown they shine when the pressure is on.
The lads needs to shine again.
Written by Elliot Thompson
