Liverpool vs Atalanta BC

KO: 8pm

Gewiss Stadium

BT Sport 2

3rd of November 2020

Match Preview

Liverpool face a tricky Champions Lague clash tonight, as they face Serie A team, Atalanta on matchday three.

The Italian side is a really attacking outfit, who outscores most teams in Italy’s top-flight league, so I’m sure they will look to exploit our backline but they leak goals as well, so it should be an entertaining game!

Positive news coming out of Liverpool is that Joel Matip returned to training but Jurgen Klopp has a big decision to make, whether to throw him straight back in or to play young defender Rhys Williams.

The 19-year old played well against FC Midtjylland, but it could be a whole different ball game going to Italy, with a team who love to go forward.

Captain Jordan Henderson, could be an option with his experience, as we have a fair few alternatives in midfield.

It will interesting to see the team selection for tonight, because of Liverpool’s trip to the Etihad on Sunday. This will, of course, be on Jurgen Klopp’s mind going into this game.

Is The Front Three Under Pressure?

For my match preview tonight, I wanted to assess Liverpool’s forwards; but more specifically, the current situation for Roberto Firmino following the instant impact of Diogo Jota.

Many Red’s fans have been asking more recently, should Jota be replacing Firmino in the team… and whether he could move ahead of the Brazilian forward in the pecking order.

The Portuguese came on for Firmino with 20 minutes to go against The Hammers on Saturday. He struck the winner, in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory, becoming the first Reds player to score his first three home Premier League appearances since Luis Garcia in 2004.

He has been significantly outscoring Firmino this season, despite playing far less football. We know the Brazilian brings more to the team than goals- he is renowned for his work-rate-, his assists but his goal tally has been getting lower for each of the past three seasons. He has scored only once in ten games this season.

While on the other hand, Jota has scored four goals in nine games for Liverpool. And his goals have been important too, with his last two league goals being winners in 2-1 victories over Sheffield United (Firmino scored the equaliser) and West Ham.

Put simply, Firmino has lost his sharpness, he seems to be doing all his work in areas, where it’s not hurting defenders, and he needs to be causing problems in and around the box.

He has dipped well below his best, and maybe he needs a break. He certainly needs something at the moment, because we aren’t seeing the player who has been so important in the success of Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool still needs Roberto Firmino; he is a fantastic player but the manager has got to find a way to get him ticking again in the way he was a couple of years ago.

I hope tonight is the night against Atalanta, he gets back to his best..

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