Jesse Marsch has detailed the areas where his Leeds United side can trouble Liverpool – but insisted Jurgen Klopp’s side don’t have any ‘weaknesses’.
Jesse Marsch said: “The weaknesses in Liverpool…[Laughs]. It’s not that we see a weakness in them, it’s can we challenge them in the intensity in which we play and with the ball can we limit them as much as possible. Can we limit them on set-plays where they’ve been incredibly effective and can we not let them get out on the counter and can we find more situations where we can get out on the counter. Both teams like to play on the counter and they’re one of the most lethal in the world at that. I wouldn’t describe Liverpool as having weakness, I’d try to say we will have a game plan and we will try to stick to it and we will try to execute it to the best of our ability to give ourselves the best chance in the match.”
Liverpool have shown flashes of the brilliance that kept them within touching distance of Manchester City for the past half-decade, not least in Europe where, after their opening week 4-1 humbling at Napoli – they have won four in a row and scored 14 goals in the process. Jurgen Klopp has utilised the fast turnaround to help his side move on from domestic troubles and find their feet on the continent, as shown by the last three group stage triumphs coming days after poor results against Brighton, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. Criticism for such results has allowed the Reds to adopt a ‘backs against the wall’ mentality, and Marsch believes that they will once again come out fighting and at their best on Saturday.
Jesse Marsh added: “Well, listen, I know Liverpool, I’ve gotten to know Jurgen Klopp a little bit over the years. He’s relentless in his commitment to make his team better and his belief of the way he does things, Liverpool for me has been one of the best teams in the world over the last four or five years. I think no matter what, that is a group of professional players that understand what the demands are. They have a lot of niggling injuries right now. Their backs have been against the wall already a little bit in this year, in different ways than where we’re at, but we know the quality they have, we know at home they’re incredibly good. The way they responded in the game against Ajax shows everything and we’re expecting them at their absolute best.”
