da prosport bet： Liverpool’s tricky week is set to climax with a lunchtime clash at home to Chelsea on the back of an almost inevitable loss at Real Madrid. With Brendan Rodgers’ much talked about ‘weakened XI’ having played out the clash at the Bernabeu, the focus is clearly on the Anfield game, with the runaway league leaders providing a tough task as the Reds look to get their top four charge back on track.
da dobrowin： So can Liverpool be positive heading into the game? Certainly… and here’s THREE reasons why.
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CLICK ON STEVEN GERRARD TO REVEAL THE THREE
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Players rested
Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho all played less than 30 minutes, with a fringe XI having taken must of the toil in Madrid. As a result the likes of Jordan Henderson, Dejan Lovren and Joe Allen will all be fresh for the Chelsea game, which could be beneficial.
Fringe players looked impressive
Should Brendan Rodgers be open to using players from the Real game against Chelsea, he has plenty of food for thought. Kolo Toure impressed at the back and looked more composed that most of the Reds’ centre-backs have this season, while Lazar Markovic showed pace and guile. Elsewhere Emre Can was powerful, and could useful against the Blues.
Morale hasn’t been crushed
A 1-0 loss at the home of the European champions who possess the world’s best player and the world’s most expensive player is by no means a disgrace. The last thing Liverpool needed heading into the Chelsea game was a heavy defeat, and they managed to avoid just that in the Spanish capital.