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Liverpool got a big boost ahead of Sunday’s game with Manchester City. The recent round of injury updates has confirmed that Joel Matip could be in contention to start against Pep Guardiola’s team on Sunday.
After being named to the bench against Atalanta, Jurgen Klopp will hope to see enough of the Cameroonian in training to deploy him alongside Joe Gomez at the weekend. In fact, while young Rhys Williams has done an excellent job getting to the plate, familiarity and seniority will be key for Klopp against City.
Should Joel Matip start for Liverpool against Manchester City?
Yes please
No thanks
Cityzens are left without star striker Sergio Agüero, who already weakens Guardiola’s attack. Despite their 3-0 win over Olympiakos last time out, their recent Premier League form shows that they are struggling.
City have been the victim of some shocking results in recent weeks, including a draw against West Ham and Leeds. In his last four league games, he has only scored four goals, one per game. This stat in itself will have caught Klopp’s attention and he is looking for ways to push his rivals in trouble even further.
With both Gomez and Matip at the heart of the defense, their mission will be to make sure City hardly get a chance. Matip’s 6-foot-4 stature will make it difficult for 5-foot-7 Gabriel Jesus and 5-foot-5 Raheem Sterling to counterattack, especially if long balls are being played towards attackers.
The Cameroonian international uses his height to his advantage and is very strong both in the air and on the ground when fighting for possession. Last year, Ian Wright got lyrical about the 29-year-old and his “absolutely brilliant” performance against Sheffield United.
If he makes a solid change on Sunday, Klopp and many others will feel a great sense of relief knowing that he is up to the challenge of stepping up in the absence of Virgil van Dijk. A win over their main competitors for the title will be a huge boost for Liverpool, which is already moving towards its second success story in the Premier League.
In other news, Exclusive: Chris Kirkland suggests Joe Gomez partner with Virgil van Dijk for “the next 10 years” …
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