Festive fever is sweeping the country, but with Boxing Day comes football and football. liverpool Persuasion will wake up with only one thing in mind: Leicester City.

Van NistelrooyThe team face Liverpool at Anfield tonight as they look to sow unrest with the remnants of the manager’s bounce that has faded after a promising start as Newcastle and Wolves suffered heavy defeats at the hands of the Foxes in the past fortnight .

Four points ahead with a game to go, Liverpool will look to double down on their confidence ahead of the game Premier League As we approach the new year, we will look at our competitors as the teams we want to beat.

But Nottingham Forest’s win on Merseyside in September was a wake-up call to go into the game with a real fear of failure, lest complacency stifle the team’s synergy and style. Arne Slaughter It took months to craft.

Boxing Day usually brings exciting high-scoring games, and while the Reds are desperate to keep clean sheets after taking eight of their last three top-flight games, the hosts are thought to be struggling against 17th-placed Leicester City There is too much pressure.

Liverpool team news

Slaughter expressed caution in his pregame press conference because it’s entirely possible to reverse an upset or two during a crazy holiday period.

On the injury front, defensive duo Ibrahima Konate and Connor Bradley remain sidelined after suffering setbacks of their own earlier this month.

Otherwise, things are looking quite promising, with Liverpool likely to see some rotation after Sunday’s high-octane win against Tottenham Hotspur, with Curtis Jones certainly eyeing a start in midfield Location.

Diogo JotaHis fitness has improved steadily over the past few weeks and he could be keen to replace Luis Diaz But at the center position Darwin Nunez He will definitely pay attention to where he was dropped in N17.

Diaz was outstanding against Tottenham, scoring twice and playing the No.9 role in a silky and unusual manner, but he doesn’t have the calmness and consistency of Jota, who would Tower could become a key figure in Manchester City’s defense, which could collapse in such a situation. Elite shooter.

While Slot isn’t really making changes, he may be keen to send Andy Robertson Also back on the bench, with Kostas Tsimikas.

Why Slot should ditch Andy Robertson

Robertson is one of Liverpool’s longest-serving members, Joined from Hull City in a shrewd £10m deal His signing and debut season back in 2017 were overshadowed by the record-breaking brilliance of Mohamed Salah, but 319 appearances Many major honours later, he is a modern legend.

However, the 30-year-old has weathered some storms over the past few seasons and he may not be the same motor he once was, with errors and athletic lapses recurring throughout his campaign.

There is no doubt that Robertson is cultured, experienced and has one of the best ball-handling skills of any defender in the industry, ranking in the top 1% in pass attempts, top 3% in progressive passes, and ranked in the top 3% in pass attempts. Top 3%. 2% of shooting actions created every 90 times, According to FBref.

But he refused. There’s no doubt he’s a smaller version of his former self, even admitting to some critics in November that “log me out“Due to his declining condition and sense of security.

He has recently been awarded penalties against Real Madrid and Southampton, while he was also shown a red card in a 2-2 draw with Fulham this month, which saw him leave the team. . Reporter Lewis Ball Criticized an afternoon of “terrible” errors that were “a bit troublesome” for the Scotland captain.

But these are not just examples; they are not blips in a dirty pot. Tsimikas has been second choice throughout his Liverpool career, joining from Olympiacos in 2020. But now, he’s earned playing time on the big stage, beating a fully recovered Robertson, and the results have vindicated Slaughter’s decision.

This detailed statistical compilation makes for interesting commentary on Robertson’s athletic regression, with his Greek peers outperforming him in many defensive and athletic metrics despite a shallow data pool.

Robertson is a member of Liverpool Top earners £160,000 a weekbut the paper covering the crack begins to wear thin. The 28-year-old Tsimikas is more authoritative in winning situations while maintaining a crisp style of passing that perfectly suits Slaughter’s setup.

Changes could be coming to Anfield amid the Christmas hangover, with Robertson and Diaz likely to be dropped on the bench by Slott. Remember, this is a crowded period, with Liverpool facing West Ham United in just three days at the London Stadium.

Now, let’s go game by game. Four or five months later, the plot threads will intertwine to form a grand slam finale in which Liverpool may or may not win the biggest prize Europe has to offer.

Beating Leicester, though, would only strengthen Slott’s consensus as it would be yet another subtle but sinister reminder to ostensible title rivals that Liverpool have the quality, depth and energy to win.

Rotation is key, especially with the trip to West Ham United in just a few days. Robertson needs to be given up, and Tsimikas is more than capable of performing well in his place.

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