Liverpool v Manchester City Preview - Key Battles
After what seems like forever, Liverpool have had a whole week between two games, and the break couldn't have come at a better time than in the lead-up to a game against Manchester City, who have made a mockery of the Premier League this season.
City have only dropped points twice this season but come into this game having not won at Anfield since 2003. For Jurgen Klopp's Reds, it has been an eventful week with a dream Virgil van …
Why Coutinho is the Best Player in the Premier League
Yep, you read that title right. I’m going to argue Phil Coutinho is the best player in the Premier League this season. I have numbers, I have intuition and I have absolutely no fear of the backlash.
First of all, I appreciate there will be two instant reactions to this. The first is: he’s not even the best player at Liverpool! This is something I myself have been arguing in favour of Mo Salah even last week, but really, Phil’s …
How to Replace Emre Can: Leicester's Wilfried Ndidi
That crushing inevitability is the worst feeling.
Perhaps Liverpool fans are simply making their way through the stages of grief, and are trying to bargain with themselves the potential loss of Emre Can will be less grievous than reality will dictate. But fear not, for here in the land of perpetual posturing and theoretical deals, Anfield Index will be sorting out Liverpool’s need for control in midfield – alongside a shiny new Naby Keita, who’ll be entering the club right …
Observations from Liverpool's Etihad embarrassment
Liverpool were torn from pillar to post for around an hour after Sadio Mane's red card, losing 5-0 to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
A goal from Sergio Aguero had broken the deadlock in a game that looked as if it could swing either way until Mane's right boot swung into the jaw of Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson.
From then on, it was one-way traffic. Say what you want about how Klopp set his tactics up, whether Liverpool worked …
Manchester City 5 - 0 Liverpool: Player Ratings
A game whose result was decided by one reckless challenge and the Reds' heads just dropped. The Reds were royally whipped by an all star City team, leading to Klopp's heaviest defeat in his reign as Liverpool manager.
(Considering how Liverpool and Klopp had given up on the game in the second half, we need to take these ratings with a pinch of salt)
Simon Mignolet (6): Restored to the lineup, the keeper had a very busy first half, pulling …
Manchester City v Liverpool Preview - Key Battles
The transfer window is over, the international break is over. It is now time for some real football. And what a way to kick the Premier League back off, as Liverpool travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City. Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp will face off for the third time in English football, with Liverpool winning 1-0 at Anfield last season before a 1-1 draw at the Etihad.
For Liverpool, the team news will be interesting. It is …
Philippe Coutinho Failing In Quest To Be World-Class
What defines world-class? Every football supporter has a different way of seeing it.
To some, it is only those truly elite players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and Neymar, while others could name 100 who fit into that bracket.
For me, it is someone in and around the top 10 players in the world in their respective position - someone who produces the goods almost every week and rarely hits a genuinely poor spell in form.
Manuel Neuer, …
Sadio Mane or Raheem Sterling? Statistical Observations
Just this past Monday, Dominic King of the Mail Online, produced an article stating how Manchester United nullified the effectiveness of Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, during the recent stalemate at Anfield. Where he might have been correct in this statement, it was clear to see that Jose Mourinho’s significant attention towards the Senegalese forward, in itself harboured the biggest compliment for Mane.
‘Half spaces’ is what Jurgen Klopp defines as space on a pitch, where defenders do not know whether to …
No Value for money? The January transfer myth
Unicorns. Myth.
Loch Ness Monster. Myth.
Bigfoot. Myth.
My girlfriend saying she'll only go in one shop. Myth.
No value in the January transfer window. Myth.
All are spoken about as though they're fact when in reality they're no more than myths.
Of course you can find the odd bit of evidence to support these claims, "Sam remember that time over Christmas 2012 when I went into the first shop and bought that coat", "Remember when we signed Andy Carroll …
Sturridge, Coutinho and Firmino - It can't come soon enough
It's been a bit of a rollercoaster season for Liverpool fans already and we're only just in January. From the lows of seeing a Brendan Rodgers Liverpool side humbled at home to West Ham to the highs of Jurgen Klopp's Redmen thumping Manchester City 4-1 at the Etihad we're now finding some middle grounding. Excitement about taking a 1-0 lead in a semi-final back to Anfield but despair at the contagious hamstringitis bug that's currently struck down about 76 of …