Win-seeking Reds host the out of form Blades at Anfield

Liverpool’s Champions League win over Ajax will give them the confidence to return to winning ways domestically as they aim to secure all three points against Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United.

Jurgen Klopp’s men coped well without Virgil van Dijk in the 1-0 victory over Ajax as Fabinho stepped in at centre-back and performed to a level worthy of a Man of the Match accolade.

Although the Reds weren’t at their sharpest, they got the job done, in what is considered the hardest game of their group stage in the UCL.

The Blades, on the other hand, have looked a shadow of their 2019/20 self, failing to muster a single win in five games. What’s more concerning is that they have scored only two goals in the five league outings so far.

Rhian Brewster, who made the switch from Liverpool to Sheffield recently, will be hoping to compensate for Sheffield’s poor scoring form so far. The young Englishman got his first few minutes for Sheffield in the 1-1 stalemate against Fulham.

Wilder has even hinted that Brewster could make his full debut for the Blades on Saturday night.

“He is really at the forefront of our thinking. I’d have no hesitation (in starting him). He’s pushing.”

Klopp acknowledged that Rhian is a real threat that his team should watch out for.

“Rhian is a natural finisher. If Rhian is on the pitch, then we shouldn’t let him finish at all.”

Sheffield have missed that natural finisher, as neither Oli McBurnie nor David McGoldrick have replicated their form from last season. If Brewster does start, he will have the added incentive to score against his former club, who are still adjusting to life without Van Dijk commanding the back-line.

It is highly likely that Liverpool will continue with Fabinho and Joe Gomez as their centre-back pairing, as Joel Matip didn’t travel to Amsterdam owing to a slight muscular strain.

There have been rumours circulating that Liverpool’s number one, Alisson, could be fit in time for Saturday’s kickoff. However, Klopp hasn’t confirmed this, so Adrian may well continue in goal.

Thiago, who took a nasty blow to his knee in last week’s Merseyside Derby will be assessed before the game to see whether he can play a part.

The Blades have an equal number of injuries to worry about, and Chris Wilder even went on to say that their predicament was worse than Liverpool losing Van Dijk.

He said, “Us losing these three players is, I’d say, a bigger loss than losing Van Dijk, relatively.” The three players missing are Jack O’Connell (knee), Lys Mousset (toe), and John Fleck (back).

The same fixture last season was a comfortable 2-0 win for Liverpool, with Klopp hailing it as one of his two favourite games of the season. Whether the Reds can replicate that form remains to be seen, as Wilder’s men are desperate for points on the board.

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