Niall Quinn believes Liverpool can ill afford to put out a weakened side and lose to Bournemouth in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup.
The Reds travel to the Championship leaders live on Sky Sports on Wednesday evening while Tottenham Hotspur host Newcastle United in the only all-Premier League tie of the round.
Quinn says it is an important night for Spurs and Newcastle, but more so for Liverpool...
Bournemouth v Liverpool
QUINN SAYS: I said at the time of the draw there will be one or two groans around Liverpool because this is difficult and Bournemouth were cock-a-hoop, that’s carried on and Liverpool’s pain has worsened in the last few weeks, so now it becomes a really tricky tie for the Reds.
They won’t have too many chances for silverware this season and this is an opportunity for Brendan. Since limping through the last round with that famous penalty shootout, they have been knocked out of the Champions League and suffered a few setbacks in the Premier League, so life is difficult for them, but this represents a chance for silverware and relief for Brendan and his side.
But they are away to Bournemouth who are all the rage in the Championship. With the opportunity to win silverware Brendan has to put out a strong side. To get confidence he needs a victory and to get into the semi-finals of a competition would be a major lift.
Brendan Rodgers needs this result, if he plays a weakened team and loses it’s another tag to the questioning that the outside world are asking about him. People are already talking about his transfers not working, the dressing room not being spot on, the injuries, there are a lot of things to ask about Liverpool right now and if they get knocked out by a Championship team in the quarter-finals because he has played a weakened team it will raise bigger questions.
Spurs v Newcastle
QUINN SAYS: Newcastle have really turned their season around and they were magnificent against Manchester City in the last round. Against Arsenal at the weekend they got beaten by a scoreline that looked like they were trounced but that was a bit rough on them. At 1-0 they had a few chances, plenty of possession and had quietened the Arsenal fans for long periods, but Arsenal’s excellence got them through in the end.
This an important game for both sides, like Liverpool they don’t have many chances to win silverware and this is one of them. Newcastle have beaten Chelsea a few weeks ago, did ok against Arsenal, and their form is good.
This won’t be simple for Spurs, they aren’t steamrolling teams, if it wasn’t for last-minute goals they would be in trouble in the Premier League, but they have home advantage and will be looking to make that count.
It’s an intriguing one, for both clubs it’s their chance to spark a productive run, if you get to the semis then the euphoria of that brings you through the next few league games. I can’t see either playing a weakened team, it’s too good an opportunity to get to the semis.
Watch Bournemouth v Liverpool live from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 1 HD on Wednesday.
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