While the rest of us are looking forward to winding down and relaxing over the Christmas and New Year period, there is no let-up for the boys at Anfield. In fact, Jurgen Klopp’s team is entering a make or break period of the season that could define their fortunes on the domestic and European fronts.
But could the good form the Reds are enjoying in all aspects of the game prove to be their undoing? The fixture list is more crowded than it has ever been, and with the added distractions of the festive season and the forthcoming January transfer window to contend with, will it be possible to remain competitive at all levels?
Champions League
The team has made a huge splash in the Champions League thus far, and stands head and shoulders above the rest at the top of Group E, with an immense goal difference, thanks in no small part to their 7-0 mauling of Spartak Moscow. The match was hugely important, not just for the scoreline, but also for the way in which Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho acquitted himself on his debut as club captain.
A runaway victory along with a hat trick of his own was the stuff dreams are made of, and the love-in between himself and Klopp after the match could not have come at a better moment, given the rumours surrounding a possible approach from Barcelona, come transfer time.
There is now a lull in proceedings, with Liverpool’s next match away to Porto in the knockout stage. On current form, Liverpool are favourites to sweep the Portuguese team aside – after all, during the group matches, they conceded more goals than any other qualifying team, and the bookmakers at Stakers.com are inclined to agree. The Reds are currently quoted at 6/5, while Porto are 2/1, with the draw at 5/2.
However, a lot can happen in the space of two months, and Liverpool have Premier League and FA Cup fixtures to keep them busy and influence the momentum.
Premier League
Liverpool have not lost a Premier League match since the fateful trip to Wembley in October, but Klopp will be frustrated that previous matches ended in draws. He acknowledged that the West Brom fixture, in particular, was frustrating and that the “fab four” of Saleh, Coutinho, Mane and Firmino failed to coalesce. Nevertheless, he paid tribute to the sticking power of the West Brom defence, which was all the more impressive given that The Reds had a remarkable 71% of the possession.
The failure to capitalise here and the slip-up against Everton that allowed them to sneak a draw have combined to knock Liverpool out of the top four, thanks to Tottenham’s superior goal difference. Long-term, they should have the staying power to muscle back ahead of Spurs, and the bookmakers have them at 8/11 on for a top four finish, but with Arsenal and the in-form Leicester City both on the fixture list before the year is out, there are plenty of banana skins to be avoided.
FA Cup
Before the Christmas tree is even back up in the loft, the FA Cup Third Round will be upon us, and given the drama that followed their Premier League meeting, the match-up with Everton is an extremely tantalising one. There are arguments that Klopp should not be placing too much importance on this, given the bigger Champions League and Premier League fish that he has to fry, but this fixture will give him the ideal opportunity to give the likes of Trent, Henderson and Oxlade-Chamberlain opportunities to prove themselves.
Bringing it all together
The coming weeks are going to be as tough on Klopp as they are on the players, as the different competitions each come to a head. There are individuals to consider – Saleh has the potential to win matches almost single-handed, but needs to be managed correctly to get the best out of him, and Moreno’s return from injury must not be rushed, to give just two examples.
Off the field, the will he / won’t he saga of Coutinho and Barcelona has the potential to divert everyone’s attention from what is happening out in the middle, and that could have catastrophic results.
Most importantly, however, Klopp needs to manage the workload of his key players and make the fullest use of the talent at his disposal within every part of the squad. He will certainly have plenty to keep him occupied over the festive season.