This time the back four rather than the fab four hold the key for Reds

YOU don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that Virgil van Dijk’s absence from the back four for the visit of Bayern Munich tonight is a major blow to Liverpool.

The Dutchman is big, physical, good in the air, and can bully you. What’s more, there aren’t many central defenders who read the game better than he does. He’s good on the deck and chips in with big goals too, so Bayern won’t be sorry he’s suspended. And certainly their star striker Robert Lewandowski won’t have lost any sleep last night at the prospect of instead facing Joel Matip and Fabinho.

I’m not saying the Pole (left) would have been worried about facing Van Dijk because, as a striker, you’d never go into a game thinking ‘I’m not going to play well because I’m up against someone so good.’ I always used to do well against Sol Campbell, for example, and relished my battles with him. That was when he was at his very best as well.

But on the flip side, you can really have your appetite for a game whetted when defenders you’re up against aren’t first choice or, as in Fabinho’s case, even naturals in that position.

And when you get to 24 hours out, you start visualising the areas of the pitch you want to take them because you know they won’t be fully comfortable when you do.

Early on, Lewandowski might find Fabinho fairly mobile, but then he’ll be looking to pull him to the left or right of the 18-yard box, or perhaps entice him out by dropping off a little more than usual.

By sacrificing your own game a little, you can open things up for the benefit of the attacking midfielders behind you.

The message in Bayern’s team meeting will be simple. Bayern boss Niko Kovac will tell his men: ‘If Fabinho plays at the back, we play on him.’

Liverpool will hope they can get through unscathed against the German champions tonight and have their key defender (below) eligible for the second leg.

If they can do that, or keep Bayern to no more than one goal tonight, the tie is still very much open for them even if they don’t score themselves.

So the focus has switched for perhaps the first time this season from Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane to those at the other end of the pitch.

Whoever plays in Liverpool’s back four tonight needs to keep things tight, knowing that a loss by the odd goal, while not ideal, is not irreparable in Munich.

Against Manchester United on Sunday, however, I fear the damage a defeat could do to the Reds and I’d go as far as to say their title bid will be over should they lose.

They will have Van Dijk back for that one but, in games between these two sides, anything can happen.

But if the Mersey men can get through tonight with a clean sheet, then the confidence they will take into the weekend could be vital.