NO VAN BUT KLOPP HAS A PLAN
ALL eyes are on Liverpool tonight as they play for the first time since their Van broke down.
And it’s no easy task heading to Amsterdam to take on an Ajax side who are in good form.
OK, the Reds will be much tougher than Heerenveen who were spanked 5-1 at the weekend — but that means confidence is sky high for the Dutchmen.
It will be interesting to see what Jurgen Klopp does without Van Dijk who has been the key man for the past two seasons.
While the plaudits has rightly gone to the likes of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, until VVD turned up Liverpool were letting in too many silly goals.
That was evident in the Merseyside Derby when Everton made the most of the weakened central defensive area to score two headers.
Can you remember the last time Liverpool conceded two headers with Van Dijk on the pitch?
Klopp has a problem because Joel Matip has just returned from a long-term injury and may not be up for two games in a week.
That means the excellent Fabinho will have to step back from midfield and offer his calming influence at the back alongside a Joe Gomez who has been struggling for a while.
Then we have to talk about stand-in goalkeeper Adrian. It’s not nice to call a gloveman a clown but it’s hard to have any confidence in him looking at how his hands parted like the Red Sea for Michael Keane’s goal in the Derby.
And he wasn’t in the same postcode as Dominic Calvert Lewin’s header despite it being nowhere near the corner of the net.
The orders for Ajax must be to shoot on sight and it’s hard to see the Reds keeping a clean sheet. They have gone three games without a
CITY SLICKERS: Sterling and Foden win and have shipped 15 goals in their seven outings this season.
On the plus side, it’s hard to see Ajax keeping a clean sheet either.
The bets in this match must be around goals. The Reds have scored at least twice in six of their outings this term and can continue that run here.
The outright Liverpool win looks short at 4/6 with Ajax on offer at 4/1.
The value surely lies in the goal markets. You can pick up a handy 7/4 with
Bet365 for Liverpool to win and both teams to score. That looks a decent price to me.
If you’re looking for a bigger return, have a couple of small plays in the correct score market.
A Liverpool win 3-2 is 16/1 with Bet365 while the Reds 4-2 is a whopping 28/1 with Sky Bet.
Famous last words but it’s hard to see it ending 0-0!
Manchester City take on Porto at the Etihad and there should be plenty of goals here too.
Pep’s lads have shipped at least one goal in their past seven Champions League outings and the Portuguese side don’t play many goalless draws either.
They head here on the back of a 3-2 defeat against Maritimo after drawing 2-2 with Sporting Lisbon.
City should be much too good but make no appeal for the win at 3/10.
Throw in a goal for Porto and it’s suddenly 11/8 on the City win and both teams to score which makes a lot more sense.
The double on Liverpool and City to win and both teams score pays around 11/2 depending on your bookie and that looks fair enough.