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So after a bruised Merseyside derby, how does Jurgen Klopp put the pieces back together for Liverpool’s next assignment?
The Premier League champions were left counting the cost of their 237th game against Everton on Saturday, walking away from Goodison Park with little more than insults, injuries and injustices.
The insult came through the controversial decision of an injury time winner from Jordan Henderson, while the injuries went to both Virgil van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara.
On the latter, Liverpool are hopeful that their problem is not serious after the great lunge that saw Richarlison in direct red by referee Michael Oliver.
The Spanish international was able to keep playing and the initial forecast is optimistic for Klopp as he prepares to refocus on mainland affairs.
Liverpool will feel like they have some unfinished business in European football given they exited the Champions League in March.
After splashing Atlético de Madrid’s goal with as many as 34 shots in the last game played with the fans at Anfield, they somehow came away with a 3-2 loss in extra time.
The match, as it has been well publicized, perhaps should not even have advanced given the influx of fans from Madrid, where the COVID-19 crisis ranked as the worst in Europe at the time.
Just two days later, the Premier League announced a three-month hiatus and fans haven’t been to a top-notch match in this country since.
But that complaint is water under the bridge, from a purely sporting perspective, as Liverpool seek to regain the title they abandoned on March 11.
The world looks a lot different since that Anfield night, but the Reds’ determination to become European champions has not waned.
For Klopp, however, there are several problems to solve before the club’s first game with Ajax since 1996.
Despite Alisson Becker’s positive update on his coach’s injury on Friday, this match in the Dutch capital is likely to come too early for the Brazilian.
That means Adrian will retain his spot behind a back four that will presumably feature Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.
In center defense, Van Dijk’s absence leaves Klopp with little choice but to choose Joel Matip and Joe Gomez.
Klopp’s numbers are scarcer in center defense, given that they only have three top center halves on the books.
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Fabinho is an option, but is more than likely expected to come forward as a defensive midfielder against Erik ten Hag’s men.
Thiago looks set to be missing after his derby injury, which could lead to the retirement of Gini Wijnaldum alongside captain Jordan Henderson.
Naby Keita is not expected to be ready, which means Wijnaldum, if Thiago is out as expected, will surely get the nod before James Milner as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain continues his own recovery.
Fit Mohamed Salah will start to the right of the three forwards while his running mate Sadio Mane will line up on the opposite flank.
Takumi Minamino and Diogo Jota are also viable options for Klopp at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
However, given that Roberto Firmino’s goals have tended to be on the road for much of the past year, the Reds coach might be tempted to stay rather than twist.
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