Some serious performances needed tonight from a struggling Liverpool side.
A season to forget so far for Liverpool. After losing their last three league games they currently lie 12th in the Premier League. They take on Ludogorets tonight in a Champions League clash they really have to win to boost their chances of making it into the knockout rounds. We take a look at the five players with a real point to prove against the Bulgarian side.
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Alberto Moreno
If the young Spaniard is indeed back in the Liverpool starting XI tonight he needs to show Brendan Rodgers why playing Glen Johnson out on the left, in Moreno’s position, should no longer be an option.
The left back has shown sporadically why Liverpool splashed out £12 million on him in the summer but his mistakes have proved costly this season, most notably dawdling on a clearance at Newcastle. The Reds will be wanting an assured and mature performance from their young full back tonight.
Dejan Lovren
Perhaps the real question is whether Lovren will actually get the chance to prove himself against Ludogorets. After effectively giving Crystal Palace the lead at the weekend it would be no surprise to see Brendan Rodgers call on Kolo Toure to take the big Croat’s position.
His performances in recent weeks have looked too panicked and erratic and with Liverpool having achieved just two clean sheets when he’s in the side, Lovren needs a calm, assured performance tonight to show why he was so highly regarded at Southampton.
Rickie Lambert
As Balotelli has not travelled to Bulgaria, this match is the perfect opportunity for the former Southampton man to show he can fill the mantle when Liverpool’s preferred strikers are unavailable. He now has his chance to prove that it wasn’t just a sentimental move for the boyhood Red and he came to Anfield to start every game.
With Sturridge out until January and Balotelli showing why he was available for such a bargain price, tonight could be the start of a continuous run in the team.
Martin Skrtel
His foul on Dwight Gayle in the buildup to Crystal Palace’s third goal typified what a poor season it has been for Liverpool’s defence overall. As one of the more experienced heads in this Liverpool side, Skrtel should have been making life easier for the news boys to settle.
With options limited in defence and Sakho out injured, Skrtel needs a performance to reassure Liverpools fragile confidence.
Steven Gerrard
Following the torment at Palace on Sunday, Gerrard’s new deeper role in midfield has come under scrutiny most vocally by former vice captain Jamie Carragher. But with such staunch rebuttal to critics by Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool captain has to show why his manager still has so much faith in him.
The Reds may be missing the world class talent of Suarez and Sturridge that complemented Gerrard’s attacking abilities so well last season, but if the captain can find a way of involving Liverpool’s current squad in a similar way it may convince Rodgers to return him to his more favoured advanced midfield position.