'Attack The Second Half Of The Season' - An Eye On Liverpool
- Liverpool host Leicester City in the Premier League on Friday (8pm kick-off)
- Mo Stewart, from the Anfield Wrap, has previewed that clash at Anfield with LCFC Radio
- He believes the Reds still have the quality to achieve their objectives despite a tough year so far
- The Reds have been hit by injuries as they adjust to a new style of playing with Darwin Núñez up front
The 19-time English champions won four games in a row in all competitions before the FIFA World Cup and emerged as 3-1 victors at Aston Villa on their Premier League return. Klopp's side, though, are still sixth in the table, five points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur, with a game in hand.
Stewart believes some players will have benefited from the pause in domestic action, while Klopp will also have appreciated the opportunity to work on the training field. With the Reds adjusting to a new style, with Darwin Núñez up front, Stewart believes they just need time.
Liverpool host Leicester City at Anfield in the Premier League on Friday evening (8pm kick-off).
"It’s a weird one because, at the time of the break, we were playing our best football of the season," he told LCFC Radio's Matchday Live show. "We had four wins in a row and the formation, with [Roberto] Firmino behind [Mo] Salah and [Darwin] Núñez, looked like it was suiting everyone in the team.
"We were starting to build some momentum. By the same token, there are a few players in our squad who get used a lot more than everyone else. I’m thinking Fabinho and even Firmino, considering [Luis] Díaz and [Diogo] Jota are out injured. There were some people who probably needed a rest.
"I do think, from a coaching perspective, that there were a few things the wanted to work out. I’d like to think those who have been away will come back refreshed.
"Thankfully, during the World Cup, there wasn’t too much drama or anguish for any of our players – Virgil [van Dijk] aside, who obviously missed a penalty in the shootout. I feel like it could be a restorative period for us.
"We have enough to be able to get back together and know there’s a lot of quality still in this squad and that we can go and attack the second half of the season – in a similar way to last year."
Stewart believes the 2022/23 campaign is one of transition at Anfield which, when combined with early-season form, could lead to reduced expectations. Everyone in world football, however, knows the levels which Klopp's Reds can reach on any given day.
"Liverpool exist to win things," he added. "I think that much is very true and considering how close we came to winning everything last year, [aiming only for] top four would undoubtedly be a drop down.
"If we can win something and we’re able to stay in the Champions League, I think most Liverpool fans would be happy and say this is a period of transition. We lost one of our biggest and most reliable players in Sadio Mané and had a big, new striker coming in (Núñez) with a slightly different way of playing.
"This was always going to be a bit of a transition. To be able to ride that transition, with an increased threat on the top four from elsewhere – if you look at Newcastle, Man Utd and Arsenal. Those three weren’t really in the mix last year. Just getting top four is tougher this year than last season.
"We’d probably just about take it. If we were outside of it, obviously that is not a good season."
Injuries have been a factor for Liverpool this term too, but Stewart believes whichever Liverpool side starts on Friday will be enough for three points.
"They’ve been big because they’ve been relentless," he explained. "It’s not like in 2021, where we had three big injuries all in the same position, centre-back. There’s been lots of niggly injuries. I don’t think there’s been many players who haven’t had an injury.
"I think Fabinho and maybe Alisson [Becker] are the only two who haven’t missed at least one game through injury. From Jürgen’s perspective, it’s hard for him to make plans – particularly when we’re trying to do things a little bit differently this season – when you’ve got to move people in and out all the time.
"That has contributed to it among many other things, but it’s been a difficult season to call as a Liverpool fan. When you think we’re going to go into a game and play badly, we play well, and vice versa.
"If you think about the fact that we were able to beat Man City at a time when nobody thought we would, there is still quality in there. There are still good players in our team and we can put in good performances. It’s just that consistency."
All times GMT.