OPINION
On Sunday, Liverpool will do battle in their biggest game of the season so far.
Manchester City currently sit six points behind them in the Premier League table, and while the Reds are still unbeaten, they would feel a whole lot less comfortable if that lead was suddenly halved at the weekend.
As a result, this is Jurgen Klopp’s biggest team selection of the campaign so far.
Sit to defensive at home and questions will be asked if his side don’t come away with all three points. Go in all guns blazing and Man City could pick them off on the counter with the frightening pace they possess in wide areas.
As such, you can’t help feeling that the midfield battle will be a crucial one, and a key factor that may not only determine the tempo of the game, but the result.
And if that is the case then Naby Keita has surely proven that he deserves a start against the champions.
On Tuesday night against Genk, he was immense, registering five shots, three successful dribbles, and one key pass, as per Whoscored.
Crucially, however, he also put in three tackles, and was dribbled past just once.
Add in a pass completion rate of 94.3%, and it’s fair to say that he was bordering on world class against the Belgian side.
The 24-year-old was everywhere, and his all-action brand of midfield dynamism would surely be a real asset for the Reds in a massive tie.
Whether Klopp sees things that way, however, is a different kettle of fish.
