Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes Jurgen Klopp could throw a 'curveball' against Manchester City this weekend and play a front four - and insists Mohamed Salah shouldn't be dropped despite his dip in form.
The Reds take on Pep Guardiola's side in a bid to take the reins in the title race with just a single point currently separates the two sides at the top of the Premier League. Their meeting at Anfield back in October ended in a 2-2 draw and it's expected to be another tightly contested fixture at the Etihad on Sunday.
Both teams face a challenging run of fixtures as they remain in Champions League contention and they'll also play each other again in the semi-finals of the FA Cup next weekend. So they both need their top players to be at their very best.
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Salah arguably hasn't been at his in recent weeks but Rush puts that down to his involvement in international football this year following the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers. Liverpool's all-time top goalscorer also claims the second leg of City's Champions League quarter-final tie against Atletico Madrid, on Wednesday, could be a 'bigger game' than the huge league clash with Jurgen Klopp's men.
"The thing is, City can lose to Liverpool this weekend and still go on to win the league," Rush told gambling.com. "But if they blow the second leg in Madrid, that’s it all over for another year. You could argue that the second leg against Atletico is a bigger game for City than the Liverpool one.
"Maybe all that can give Liverpool a slight edge going in to this game on Sunday, who knows? City aren’t going to change their way of playing – we know they’re going to try and get the ball in behind the Liverpool defence and they’ll probably have some success in that regard – but Klopp might be willing to throw Pep a curve ball.
"If Klopp names a front four – who gets the nod? That’s very difficult to say. Salah’s form has dipped of late but I put that down to the amount of international football he’s played this year.
"I had a similar problem when I went off to play for Wales. When you’re playing in a team that aren’t on the same level as you’re used to in your club career, you find yourself having to do a lot more running and grafting which can take its toll on the body.
"That’s what I put his form down to – a bit of fatigue having put in so much for club and country already this season. I’m fully behind him though and I don’t think Klopp should drop him for the City game because he’s one of the best players in the world and can produce a moment of magic at the drop of a hat.
"On top of that, if City players and fans were to see a Liverpool team-sheet without Salah’s name on it, that automatically gives them a physiological boost which can make a difference between two great teams when there’s a lot on the line."
