It’s here: the end of the super-sized International Break and with it, the return of Premier League football. Which means, after approximately three-weeks of intense scrutiny given the announcement that the League found Manchester City guilty of 114 charges of misconduct, Liverpool will finally get the opportunity to take a crack at City.
This is the same Liverpool that, under Jurgen Klopp, posed the most consistent and qualified threats to the dominance that Pep Guardiola’s City held over the Premier League and world football at large. Not only did Liverpool win a Premier League – as well as a Champions League – during the height of City’s alleged malfeasance, but they also were the only other club that pushed City to the brink on multiple occasions.
This is the same club that spent less and managed to do more. That wasn’t content with a hum drum style of play, but looked to dictate and push the tempo. They were also the only club capable of bringing the best out of City. There’s a reason that Liverpool-City was the marquee matchup in the Premier League for so many years: the perennial underdog not only nipping at Goliath’s heels, but on occasion, actually catching him by the jugular.
We’ve talked ad nauseam now about the scandal and what punishment looks like. Those are things, though, that live with the suits that run the Premier League and those that represent the interests of Manchester City. We don’t have any real say as to what consequences the Citizens will face.
Which leaves tomorrow’s match as the only real place – along with any subsequent meetings against City – where this iteration of Liverpool can bring some sort of justice to Anfield. It won’t be an easy task and given just how strong Enzo Maresca’s iteration of the club is, I can’t even admit that I believe it’s likely to happen. But three points would be such a boost given everything.
Yet, in truth, that wouldn’t be enough. I would want to hang six goals on them. I want a scoreline so thorough that even with Liverpool playing multiples times a week, commentators have to pause and recall the utter devastation that the Reds brought to City. I want three goals for every stolen title and an additional one as recompense and then I want that replicated in perpetuity.
But the mountain on Sunday is super steep. And that’s all before confirmation from Andoni Iraola that neither Cody Gakpo nor Alexander Isak would participate in the contest. The former made a bit more sense – ankle injuries are difficult and the way folks spoke about Gakpo’s injury, it isn’t exactly a surprise to have him named as ineligible.
Isak, though, was indicated as being subbed out and sent home under precautionary measures. Which leaves open the door that the injury may not be as serious as one thinks. And given that he was sent home early in the break, let’s just say that for some – like this writer – the hopes were sky high.
Unfortunately, Iraola will need to make do without the club’s two best attacking players this season. And without a striker having been brought in over the summer, that means that the Reds will also be without a natural striker whose seniority goes beyond young Lewis Koumas.
Which means that there’s the possibility that, should Iraola find the occasion a bit too high-level for the Academy graduate, Florian Wirtz might take a turn as a false nine. It is a change that would also, in theory, allow the gaffer to play all three midfielders in Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai all together. In this theoretical set up, you could have Szobo and Flo interchanging in the 9 and 10 spots, with Macca and Gravy holding the double-pivot.
I’m not sure this would work given that Gravenberch, in particular, seems to be taking a while to adapt to Iraola’s system. But the allure of getting the three central midfielders who’d won the title just two seasons ago all on the same pitch with eager, pacy runners on the wings and a playmaking savant in Wirtz all part of the attack might just tip the balance.
In the end, the decision and call will be held by Iraola. I don’t envy him one bit given just how difficult a choice this has to be. Either way, I’ll be intrigued to see what the final selection will be. And hoping, against logic, that Liverpool manage to pull this one out. For justice and for the global Kop.