OPINION
It’s fair to say there is a massive section of Liverpool fans who will be seriously unhappy if the Times prediction for their starting midfield in tonight’s (WEDNESDAY) showdown against Manchester City is spot on.
The reliable newspaper claim Jurgen Klopp will axe Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri from the team and reinstate experienced midfielders Jordan Henderson and James Milner.
That is unlikely to go do well with much of the Anfield faithful, who are calling on social media for two of the increasingly impressive summer signings Fabinho, Shaqiri and Naby Keita to start the Etihad Stadium clash.
Liverpool hammered Arsenal in last Saturday’s 5-1 win at Anfield, as an attack-minded midfield ripped the visiting defence to shreds.
Many supporters are eager to see more of the same tonight, even though Man City present a more formidable challenge than Unai Emery’s side.
They are likely to be seething if the immensely popular goal creator and scorer Shaqiri, and increasingly effective central midfielder Fabinho start from the bench.
Klopp has tended to use the triumvirate of Henderson, Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson in marquee games over the last year, most notably in the Champions League final last season as well as the goalless draw against Manchester City earlier this campaign as well as the home and away clashes at European aristocrats Paris Saint-Germain.
It was a system Liverpool reverted to for the must-win Champions League clash against Napoli last month, and that worked a treat with a memorable 1-0 triumph at Anfield.
Many regard the trio as reliable but a cautious option, and lacking the imagination and technical ability to get the ball forward quickly to the front three.
Expect an initial outcry and outpouring of negativity if they are all named in the starting XI an hour before kick-off.