An evening under the lights of Anfield awaits as the Champions League action continues with a visit from Ajax, a team in stark contrast to Liverpool.
Liverpool vs. Ajax
Champions League group stage (2) | AnfieldSeptember 13, 2022 | 8:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)
After an unexpected postponement of the Premier League over the weekend, Liverpool have had more time than anticipated to prepare for the visit of the defending Dutch champions, a team in top form.
These are not words you can use for Jurgen Klopp’s side at the moment, but there is no time like the present to start the comeback in form, in what could be the last game before the international break.
Here are 10 key things to know ahead of Tuesday’s kick-off!
1. 2 wins against 7 in a row
It has been a shaky start to the season for Liverpool, one that has given rise to a long list of thoughts and questions trying to diagnose the problem after just two wins from seven in all competitions.
He is a long way from in-form Ajax, who are on a seven-match winning streak before their trip to Anfield, scoring 25 and conceding just three in that time.
Contrasting shape, to say the least!
In four of their seven games they have scored four or more goals – Liverpool certainly need to be on fire and bring the intensity.
2. 9 out, but Carvalho returns
The Reds have been taking one step forward, two back and one to the side with injuries so far this season.
The good news is that Thiago, Diogo Jota and Joel Matip are back and have a few minutes under their belts, a welcome boost in every department, and Fabio Carvalho is available.
The bad news is that Andy Robertson injured his knee and will be “out for at least [until] after the international break”.
Eight other top players remain absent, with Caoimhin Kelleher, Ibrahima Konate, Calvin Ramsay, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and Kaide Gordon still missing.
The Liverpool squad in training on Monday
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Adrian, Pitaluga, Mrozek
Defenders: Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold, Tsmikas, Mabaya, Chambers
Midfielders: Thiago, Fabinho, Milner, Elliott, Carvalho, Arthur, Bajcetic
Forwards: Salah, Firmino, Diaz, Nunez, Jota
3. Ajax’s 24-man squad confirmed
There has been no injury curse for Ajax and therefore manager Alfred Schreuder has little to worry about in his squad for this match, what a wonderful feeling it must be.
A 24-man travel squad has been confirmed, with left-back Owen Wijndal the only notable absence.
You will see a number of familiar faces though, with former Manchester United player Daley Blind still going strong, as well as Dusan Tadic, Steven Bergwijn and former Everton duo Maarten Stekelenburg and Davy Klaassen.
Bergwijn is the dangerous man for Ajax as he scored seven in seven.
Expected Ajax XI: Pasveer; Rensch, Timber, Bassey, Blind; Alvarez, Berghuis, Taylor; Tadic, Mountain Wine, Kudus
4. How might the Reds lineup?
The manager used the term “reinvent” several times after the “horror show” in Napoli last time and that could certainly influence his decision-making here.
Klopp isn’t looking for a “new kind of football” but he will want to see sustained effort, pressure and intensity to ensure his team is compact rather than just acting like cones in a training drill.
Thiago will be in line to make his first start since opening day, Joel Matip could get Joe Gomez off the side and Kostas Tsimikas will certainly replace the injured Robertson.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold may be lucky to remain in the XI thanks to a lack of competition at right back.
Potential Red XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Elliott, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
5. A lot has changed at Ajax…
Liverpool last met Ajax in the Champions League group stage in 2020, but in the two years since those meetings a lot has changed for the Dutch side.
Firstly, Erik ten Hag is now Man United manager and Alfred Schreuder has taken the helm at Ajax, and it’s fair to say he’s off to a positive start!
The Dutchman predominantly uses a 4-3-3 system, with midfield being the area of the pitch where he is likely to see changes from one opposition to the next.
Personnel-wise, only six of the 18 players who faced the Reds last time out remain with the club: Dusan Tadic, Daley Blind, Davy Klaassen, Edson Alvarez, Mohammed Kudus and Perr Schuurs.
The Reds, on the other hand, have seen just six players leave the club permanently in the past two years who were named in a matchday squad against Ajax.
6. The last game before the international break?
Liverpool’s game against Wolves on Saturday was postponed following the Queen’s death and the trip to Chelsea on Sunday is also expected to follow suit.
The queen’s funeral is in London on Monday and a limitation in police resources is likely to cause the match at Stamford Bridge to be postponed as well.
It would mean this Champions League clash is the last game before the international break, leaving a 17-day gap between the clash with Ajax and the next home game against Brighton on October 1.
There has been speculation about reversing Chelsea’s game and seeing Anfield host the game on Sunday, but that is not expected to be the solution.
Instead, we will have an extremely congested few months to start 2023!
7. ‘I have to show the reaction to the horror show’
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Klopp detailed what has unfolded in the days since the Napoli loss, holding nothing back as the Reds search for an answer:
“A lot of thoughts and meetings with the players. I watched the game many times and it was a real horror show to be honest.
“We show the children the situation as well. They knew it, but then seeing it again makes it really obvious. That was the worst game we’ve played since I’ve been here.
“We’ve had some bad games, we all know that, probably Aston Villa and a few others where we just weren’t up to speed, but there were always glimpses of us even in these games. In this particular game, nothing.
[…]
“We have to show a reaction, definitely. That doesn’t guarantee a result, Ajax is practically in an opposite situation after having won all their games.”
8. Did you know?
We all need some positivity and some hope, and Liverpool’s recent record against Dutch sides offers just that.
Of course, it’s not indicative of how Tuesday night will play out, but we’ll take what we can after the start of the season that we’ve had.
In eight draws against Dutch clubs at Anfield, Liverpool are unbeaten, winning six and drawing just two. Five of those victories have come in the main European competition.
And because we want to take these good omens into account, since the last defeat against Ajax in Amsterdam in 1966, the Reds are unbeaten against Dutch teams in 15 games, with 10 wins and five draws.
Liverpool is 16 unbeaten with 11 wins please!
9. A Portuguese referee to take charge
Artur Dias (POR) is the referee in charge of this Tuesday’s game, his first game in charge of Liverpool.
The Portuguese referee spends most of his time in the Primeira Liga and this will be his first match in the Champions League group stage after having overseen two ties in August.
In those two European games he handed out 11 yellow cards and one red card.
Let’s hope it’s one on one with Dias in the middle.
10. Spend an evening with TIA
Liverpool vs. Ajax kicks off at 8pm BST, and BT Sport 2 is the place to tune in for those of you in the UK, with coverage from 7pm
But if you’re not at Anfield and want to keep up with all the action, Sam Millne has you covered with his biased commentary on the This Is Anfield matchday live blog.
Up the reds!
