The international break is over, presenting Liverpool with the opportunity to get their Premier League season back on track.
First up for Jurgen Klopp's side is a testing trip to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon, taking on Manchester City, and things don't get much easier with Chelsea and Arsenal next on the agenda following this showdown.
The Reds are by no means out of the race for the top four just yet, though taking points off the top sides will go some way to boosting chances of competing in next season's Champions League.
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Looking ahead to what promises to be a season-defining week for Liverpool, four supporters have shared their views as part of the weekly ECHO fan column.
Rhys Buchanan (city centre, @Rhys_Buchanan) - Top four picture will soon become clear
Breathe a huge sigh of relief, the most boring international break of all time is over and what a massive week of football we have in front of us. There’s no denying that our next three fixtures will paint a clear picture of whether top four will be within our grasp, or whether it’s too big of an ask for this Liverpool side in desperate need of reinforcements.
That being said, we always know how to step it up for the big games, so perhaps it’s something of a blessing we’ve got three huge ones on the spin. You can hardly call the Etihad a happy hunting ground for the Reds, but if we can employ the steely, streetwise grit we showed against them in the Anfield clash, I don’t see why we can’t put a dent in Man City's title hopes.
For that to happen, though, we need to find a clinical edge in the key moments. The likes of Gakpo, Nunez and Salah all seemed to be at their best against our other Manchester rivals just last month, so let’s hope we can see some more sparks fly on Saturday.
Andrew Cullen (Widnes, @brothersred5) - Formation switch could be considered
Two daunting fixtures lie ahead for Liverpool as they return to action after the international break. We may find a sharp brake is applied to our pursuit for top four, should we not pick up at least three points in those two games.
With the embarrassing array of attacking options that Man City and Chelsea have at their disposal, we need to fortify our defence in those games to ensure that we are difficult to play against.
Although a 4-4-2 formation runs contrary to the Klopp blueprint, it may be what is needed to nullify the threat that Chelsea and Man City pose. Substance is more important than style at the moment as we seek to gain as many points as possible.
There are whispers that Diaz will be back on the bench for the City game. His return to action will no doubt reinvigorate a team which has so often looked jaded. We have seen this season Liverpool are capable of a Jekyll and Hyde transformation. What is clear, is that we will need a monster performance to pick up points in the next two games.
David Shams (Washington D.C., @ShamsWriter) - Don't rule out the Reds to rise to the challenge ahead
The international break is over and the mighty Reds are running headlong into the toughest of tests. Three matches against three rivals: City, Chelsea, Arsenal, in that order. Must wins? Maybe not. But lose any of them and hopes of a top-four finish become bleak.
The traditional bad form at the end of international breaks notwithstanding, the next week of football will be stressful. Liverpool’s season, and Champions League football in the next, hangs in the balance. The drama and narratives will be brilliant for the neutral.
There are some silver linings, though. Despite bad form against clubs fighting relegation, Liverpool have performed well against sides above them. They seem to be up for those matches, giving fans like us exactly what we seek.
But City and Chelsea on the road are never easy. City will relish a chance to kill off our season, while Chelsea will look to restore some measure of confidence to their own languid form. If there’s anything about a Klopp-managed side, it’s resilience. They find ways to fight out of corners, to push back against the writing on the wall, to ignore the inevitable. I’ll be looking for that spirit in the coming days.
James Noble (Worcestershire, @james_noble98) - Firmino start may make sense
The spring switch to British Summer Time (BST) has often, in recent years, aptly brought some of the best out of Liverpool. Hopefully, the international break will have done some good. Mentally and physically, it can feel like a welcome chance to reset ahead of the club season’s run-in.
Champions League qualification represents our clear goal. It’s different to last term, but we can certainly still make use of recent seasons’ experiences in the 12 remaining matches. The Reds have regularly displayed a superb level of clarity and focus at this time of year. More of that would be welcome.
Saturday lunchtime’s trip to Manchester City will pose several interesting tactical, physical and technical challenges. Could Jürgen Klopp utilise something akin to the 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 hybrid seen in October’s Anfield victory? Could Roberto Firmino start, as he did that day? It appears a game where the Brazilian’s traits – in and out of possession – could be welcome.
Tuesday’s visit to Chelsea follows. The West Londoners remain somewhat tricky to read, although Graham Potter has seemingly settled on a 3-4-3 shape in recent weeks. Midfield presence could again be key, given Enzo Fernández and Mateo Kovačić’s qualities. Let’s set about making the best of BST again.
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