LIVERPOOL PREDICTED XI: CARDIFF (H)

Liverpool enter the weekend with an opportunity to set the pace at the top of the table and put real pressure on Manchester City who have a difficult journey to Wembley on Monday.

Knowing that, I anticipate Jurgen Klopp plays a strong lineup and doesn’t take Cardiff lightly given their league position.

GK – Alisson Becker – Having only conceded three goals in nine league matches, Alisson is the clear choice to start this game.

Cardiff will have little in the way of possession and the odds of Alisson being tested on more than one or two occasions is low. Another clean sheet should be expected.

LB – Andy Robertson – Andy Robertson started slightly off the pace but has worked himself into ever improving form as the season has gone on.

He had arguably his best match of the season on Wednesday at home to Belgrade and will look to continue that trend again here.

CB – Joe Gomez– Whether it’s been at right back or in the centre, Gomez has been exceptional and is playing like a tenured veteran, not a twenty-one-year-old.

He’s gotten the start at right back the last two league games, but I see Trent finding his place in the team again and Klopp moving Gomez back to centre half and rekindling the best partnership in the league alongside the next man.

CB – Virgil van Dijk – For the first time in the Premier League era, I’m confident saying Liverpool have the best defender in the world.

The much-maligned leaky defence Klopp inherited three years ago has much fixed and I attribute much of that to the Dutchman.

Liverpool fans can also look for van Dijk to wear the captain’s armband again though whether he has it or not, it’s plain to see he’s the leader every time he steps on the pitch.

Source: Goal.com

RB – Trent Alexander-Arnold – Mild speculation arose after Klopp benched Alexander-Arnold in two successive league matches.

Pay no mind to that though: Trent is here to stay and will be massive to Liverpool challenging Manchester City for the league trophy.

I attribute it more to Klopp looking to get Lovren up to speed and as a sign that Liverpool’s depth in defence is at an all time high.

MF – Fabinho – Klopp changed the formation during the mid-week to a 4-2-3-1 that we’d started seeing hints of recently and it opened the door for Fabinho to show his quality.

His performance against Red Star showed the many facets of his game, most notably his dominant tackling ability.

His time waiting in the wings and adapting to Klopp’s demanding system have served him well and it feels like the time is now to unleash the Brazilian on the league.

MF – Gini Wijnaldum – Gini Wijnaldum’s emergence as one of the best midfielders in Europe has been sensation to watch as he’s transformed his game and finally found his best position in this Liverpool side.

He’s the perfect player to play next to Fabinho with his reading of the game second to none currently, the ideal player to help provide cover for the back four and transition the ball forward into the attacking third.

Source: Liverpool FC

FW – Roberto Firmino – With the new formation Klopp is using, Firmino likely drops deeper into the number ten role that he’s had experience playing in from his time at Hoffenheim.

His unselfish style of play and ability to draw defenders to him allows space for the two forwards out wide as well as whoever plays as the striker up top.

FW – Sadio Mane – The win at home to Red Star was the first glimpse supporters got to see of the Liverpool forwards all clicking in the manner they grew accustomed to the second half of least season.

Sadio had a solid game capped off with a goal and given he can be a hot/cold player, it’s likely he is at the start of a run of games where he scores often.

FW – Xherdan Shaqiri – The diminutive Shaqiri had to wait for playing time early, but I think it was expected that once he started getting minutes in this side, his value would become apparent.

With Oxlade-Chamberlain likely out the entirety of the year (I’m still holding out hope of an early return), Liverpool lacked what he brought to the game early on.

It’s safe to say Shaqiri can fill those shoes though after several recent displays and key assists.

You get the sense his time at Stoke only fueled his desire to return to a top club and show what he was truly capable of.

With the form he’s in currently, it’s automatic that he features every time Liverpool play.

ST – Mo Salah – Let’s end the Mo Salah goal scoring struggles talk once and for all.

He, like many others returning from a grueling World Cup, has taken time to get his energy level back up and get into the groove of the league season.

You can tell Klopp’s been tinkering with Salah’s position this year to help him return to peak form and the 4-2-3-1 played on Wednesday appears to have done it.

He obviously operates well out wide cutting into space vacated by fullbacks but is equally comfortable up top as a central striker.

Source: Liverpool FC