After their 7-0 demolition of Manchester United, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Liverpool basking in the glory of their record-breaking win for a little longer, but with Champions League duties to attend to, a task which Stan Collymore says is almost impossible to win, there can be no time for back-slapping.
Writing exclusively for CaughtOffside, the former Liverpool striker clearly wants his old side to go to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and do the business, but losing 5-2 at Anfield has left the Reds with a mountain to climb.
“Liverpool’s home record in Europe is excellent, and it’s bizarre that we’re talking about them going into the next leg against Real Madrid three goals behind,” Collymore wrote.
“Can they turn it around? Yes, they can. When you’ve got Mohamed Salah in this kind of form, you always have a chance. The key thing is how they start – if they score early on, then it’s game on. My worry is, with the experience Real Madrid have got in the likes of Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, is that Liverpool have to throw everything at them with the hope that they don’t go up and create anything at the other end. That’s going to be almost impossible at the Bernabeu, if it was Anfield I’d be tempted to say yes, but since it’s in Madrid it looks almost impossible.
“I think Liverpool can get a result, but will they get the number of goals required? I can’t see it. I’ve played in games like this, chasing deficits, and this squad of course will remember that special semi-final against Barcelona, but going to Madrid and doing something like that will take a superhuman effort – it will require an early goal, and Liverpool riding their luck, and I think they’ll just be edged out on the night.”
If Jurgen Klopp’s side are able to approach the game with the same intensity as they did for the United fixture, there’s an outside chance they could have another European night to match their astonishing comeback against Barcelona.
For Premier League rivals Arsenal, they’re getting close to the business end of the 2022/23 campaign and remain out in front at the summit.
Five points separate them from second-placed Manchester City, but that would be reduced if Pep Guardiola’s side take the three points when they meet on April 26, if it hasn’t already.
Given Arsenal’s wobble against Bournemouth at the weekend, Collymore believes that could be a possibility.
“For me, Arsenal have had four or five different hurdles this season. First, it was to start well, then it was how would they carry on post-World Cup. Then it’s juggling the cup competitions and Europe, and would this give the other clubs a chance to gnaw away at the points deficit. Then finally, there’s the run-in, and for me that starts with the final eight games of the season – that’s when the players will be going to bed every night dreaming about lifting the Premier League trophy, because it’s so close and it can start to cause havoc with your mind,” he added.
“If even three or four players start getting nervous and stop performing, then I can see Manchester City overtaking them. I still think City are the favourites, and they’re hosting Arsenal at the Etihad, which can cut Arsenal’s lead down to two points.
“I’ve been quite critical of Arteta, but I’d love to see them win it because City have dominated in recent seasons. You want to see a different name on the trophy, and you like seeing young players, particularly young English players like Bukayo Saka doing well, so I think it would count a lot and I’d like to see them get over the line in those all-important last eight games, but I’m not getting too excited yet.
“Part of me is starting to believe, but there’s just a part of me that wonders if, instead of the glass being half full with that comeback against Bournemouth, the glass is actually half empty and the two goals Bournemouth scored are pointing towards something more sinister than just a freak score-line that put them 2-0 up at the Emirates.”
From this point on, mental strength will play a major part, and that’s where City have the edge having been in a similar position to the Gunners on multiple occasions recently.
Time will tell if the north Londoners can celebrate what would be a hard-won title.