Liverpool FC travel to Cardiff City on Sunday for a Premier League fixture that has massive implications at both ends of the table. Liverpool still a top the standings, but by only two points over Manchester City, who have a game in hand on them.
Cardiff currently sit in the final relegation slot, only two points behind Brighton & Hove Albion, but the Seagulls do have a game in hand on them. So there is a lot to play for on Sunday, but for just totally different reasons. Liverpool are also still alive in the UEFA Champions League competition, where they have advanced to the semi-finals, set to take on Lionel Messi on Barcelona.
Klopp maintains that the massive workload of a long grueling season is not fatiguing his players. He says they are good to go for the final stretch.
“We do what we can to train in exactly the right way,” Klopp told his prematch news conference on Friday. “If you go for a big goal, you don’t feel any tiredness.
“It’s like a marathon. If you are 40 kilometres in and out in front you don’t think about the 40, only what’s to come. That’s rather how we feel in the moment.”
Let’s take a look at who Reds boss Jurgen Klopp may select in his first team for this one.
The Bank Liverpool FC Starting XI Prediction at Cardiff City (4-3-3)
Forwards: Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah
Midfielders: James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita
Back line: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Liverpool FC at Cardiff City FYIs
Kick-off: Sunday April 21, Cardiff City Stadium, 2pm
Injury report for both sides: go to this link
Match official: Martin Atkinson
Form Guide: Liverpool WWWWW Cardiff City WLLLW
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 80% Draw 14% Cardiff City 6%
Odds via 888 Sport: Liverpool 1/5, Draw 11/2, Cardiff City 14/1
Prediction: Liverpool 2, Cardiff City 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.