The Kopite View

Liverpool’s 4-1 drubbing from Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium yesterday was embarrassing for Reds’ supporters and surely manager Jurgen Klopp has to make changes to his defence.

Liverpool’s defensive problems have been talked about for far too long without any sort of improvement, but hopefully yesterday’s performance will force Klopp to make changes to his defence.

I’ve always tried to give Liverpool players time but yesterday reminded me of the time when former manager Bill Shankly decided he had to make changes to his ageing team that he stayed loyal to after watching his team lose to Watford in the 1970 FA Cup Quarter Final.

Shankly stayed loyal to his players that gave him so much success in the sixties but that defeat signalled the end for the likes of Ron Yeats and Ian St John.

Klopp has shown a similar form of loyalty to his defence since he arrived at Anfield two years ago, with Joel Matip being the only new defender regularly playing in defence since Brendan Rodgers’ era.

In my opinion Dejan Lovren and Simon Mignolet should have played their last games for Liverpool yesterday.

Lovren produced the worst defensive performance I’ve ever seen from a Liverpool defender and Mignolet showed once again why he isn’t good enough.

They have both had good games for Liverpool in the past but yesterday showed why they can’t be trusted with Lovren producing numerous mistakes that could have produced more goals for Tottenham before Klopp decided enough was enough by pulling him off in the first half.

Mignolet made a poor decision to come out for the first goal and should have gave Matip a shout to leave the ball before he made the poor header that led to Tottenham’s third goal, and the fourth goal was a Mignolet mistake that we as Liverpool supporters have seen far too frequently, as he flapped at another cross before Harry Kane scored his second goal of the game.

Time will tell if Klopp will be as ruthless as I would but I’d make drastic changes to the defence and start by giving Danny Ward a chance in goal.

I’d like to see Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back with Matip and Gomez in the centre of defence, and I’d play Andy Robertson at left back because he is an upgrade on Moreno despite the Spaniard’s decent start to the season.

Liverpool face bitter rivals Manchester United tomorrow at Anfield in a lunch time kick-off. The fixture is one of the biggest in the Premier League calendar and tomorrow’s clash is as important as ever.

Jose Mourinho’s team have been in impressive form since the start of the season and are currently sitting joint top of the Premier League on points with their local rivals Manchester City.

Liverpool started the season brightly but have lost their way in recent weeks after suffering a 5-0 hammering to Manchester City, the Reds are currently 7 points behind both Manchester teams in the Premier League table and tomorrow’s game holds more importance for Klopp’s men.

Defeat for Liverpool would leave them 10 points behind United, and although it is still very early in the season, a gap that big would hard to claw back and a loss would end most supporters hopes of challenging for the title.

United have Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini both missing through injury for tomorrow’s clash, but Liverpool’s bad news concerning Sadio Mane, who will miss the next six weeks of action after suffering a hamstring injury playing for Senegal is a major blow for Jurgen Klopp.

Mane has been in superb form since joining Liverpool and to miss such an important player for such an important fixture is a massive disappointment.

But Mane’s injury could present Liverpool’s new big money signing Alex Oxlade Chamberlain with the opportunity to prove himself at his new club.

The former Arsenal player has struggled since joining Liverpool, but in fairness, he hasn’t made many starts for his new club.

Chamberlain’s pace and power could make him the ideal replacement for Mane, although Klopp might decide to move Philippe Coutinho out on the left to fill Mane’s absence.

Whatever team selection Klopp decides it is vital for Liverpool to take something from the game and a win could kick-start their season after a disappointing run of results prior to the international break.

I expect Jose Mourinho to play defensively at Anfield with the intention of hitting Liverpool on the break, and I think Liverpool have to play on the front foot and press United from the start, hopefully they can get the first goal because Liverpool’s style of play takes a lot out of them, and I’ve noticed their energy and form dips the longer the game goes on.

It will be another intriguing encounter at Anfield but hopefully Liverpool can find a way to win to get their season going again.