Liverpool team selection vs. FC Sion: Brendan Rodgers must rest key personnel ahead of Merseyside derby

Brendan Rodgers must rest key players for Liverpool’s Europa League clash against FC Sion on Thursday night, with a vitally important and potential make-or-break Merseyside derby just three days later.

With the chance to build some positive momentum against Swiss side Sion on Thursday, Rodgers could be tempted to field a full strength side for the first Anfield Europa League clash.

It is easy to understand why the Liverpool boss would want to deploy a first choice team, with the opportunity to cash in on a rare ray of on-pitch positivity following the Aston Villa victory.

But doing so just a matter of hours ahead of the first Merseyside derby of the season at Goodison Park on Sunday would represent a massive risk for the under-fire Reds manager.

It would be a huge, extremely short-sighted gamble, and it’s one Rodgers simply must not take.

Prioritising

Despite the weekend’s 3-2 win over Tim Sherwood’s Villa, pressure is still very much on the Northern Irishman, with his post-victory words smacking of a man certainly feeling the heat of the current situation.

The only way any pressure will be relieved from his shoulders is by winning games quickly and consistently, and though Thursday’s clash is certainly a fixture Liverpool need to win, the derby against Everton presents a game of paramount importance for Rodgers – one he simply dare not lose.

With FSG reportedly watching from the background waiting to determine whether a genuine up turn of fortunes awaits or another false dawn follows the confidence-boosting result, the Goodison clash is a match with no margin for error.

While a bad result in Europe would add to mounting pressure, there would still be four Group B matches left to reverse the damage done.

A derby day defeat however could prove to be the end of the road for Rodgers – a defeat would put the Reds four points behind the Blues, and likely see Rodgers’ side drop into the bottom half ahead of a two-week international break.

There is a very real possibility that Rodgers’ Anfield future rides on the outcome of the derby, and he must therefore ensure that when he makes the trip across Stanley Park with his squad, the players are in the best condition possible to maximise the chances of a strong display.

Injury Threat & Squad Depth

Injuries within the squad are already stacking up, giving the manager even less room and reason to play dangerously with certain fragile members of the group.

The Reds cannot afford to lose any more first choice picks – especially those remaining key men – to be able to name as strong an XI as possible against a confident and in-form Everton side.

Emre Can and Alberto Moreno lead the way in the appearances stakes this season and the unsustainable amount of game time the duo have played opens them up to the increasing risk of a knock as fatigue creeps in.

It’s in this kind of situation that injury becomes a more dangerous but realistic possibility and Rodgers must minimise the risk by giving the pair a night off on Thursday.

With Danny Ings a possible contender to keep Rodgers in his job, and Daniel Sturridge slowly but surely returning to the level of form and sharpness the Liverpool boss needs, it would be a decision of pure stupidity to risk either of the strike duo who could prove to be the difference.

Rodgers must utilise the squad depth at his disposal with the likes of Kolo Toure, Joe Gomez, Joe Allen, Jordan Rossiter, Jordon Ibe, Adam Lallana and Divock Origi all in reserve.

Preserving nailed on starters and especially those in positive form to an extent must be the Reds leader’s priority at Anfield – not going all out for a win in a fixture that he has less to lose than on Sunday and everything to gain.

A Tough Game Awaits

The Reds arrive to take on a team who enjoyed a prolonged break heading into their Monday night game at West Brom, which undoubtedly helped them to fight their way back from two goals down, and now head into the derby with another period of respite.

This is a severe contrast to Rodgers’ men, who will be lining up for their seventh fixture in 22 days when they take to the Goodison Park surface on Sunday afternoon.

Facing Roberto Martinez’s side who head into the grudge match full of confidence after the comeback at the Hawthorns, and have no European demands to contend with, poses a dangerous fixture for the Liverpool boss giving him all the more reason to ensure his starting XI are as fresh and sharp as possible.

Rodgers finds himself in a strange position of needing to prioritise fixtures to win while picking up as many victories as he can at the same time – a tough juggling act boren out of the situation the Reds find themselves in.

But the Liverpool manager must think ahead and plan carefully for Thursday and more importantly Sunday’s game, with his job potentially resting on the conclusion.

Squad rotation has never been a strong point of Rodgers’ tenure at Anfield. He made eight changes in Bordeaux but fielded a near full-strength team vs. Carlisle. It needs to be the former not the latter on Thursday.

If he doesn’t, the consequences could be brutal.

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Liverpool vs. FC Sion – Last Time at Anfield: Fowler, Berger, McManaman rout Swiss

With Liverpool’s Europa League showdown with FC Sion fast approaching, we look back at the last meeting between the pair 19 years ago.

Liverpool 6-3 FC Sion
31st October 1996, European Cup Winners Cup, 2nd Round, 2nd Leg

Liverpool in 1996

Liverpool were at the height of their powers under Roy Evans, with the Reds playing some of their most eye-catching football of the Premier League era.

In Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, they had two of the most gifted English players of their generation, while Patrik Berger was proving to be an inspired signing following his exploits with Czech Republic at Euro ’96.

Having fallen just short in the title race in 1995/96, Evans’ men were looking to push on in 1996/97, and had only lost once in the league before they faced FC Sion in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup second round second-leg at Anfield.

The first-leg in Switzerland had seen Liverpool win 2-1, with goals from Fowler and John Barnes overturning Christophe Bonvin’s opener.

The stage was set for the Reds to produce an emphatic display in front of an expectant home crowd.

Evans once again went with his preferred 3-5-2 formation, with Jason McAteer and Stig Inge Bjornebye as wing-backs, and McManaman and Berger playing off Fowler.

John Scales, Phil Babb and Dominic Matteo made up a shaky-looking back-three that could even make Dejan Lovren look world-class.

Shock first-half

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Things didn’t go to plan at all in the opening 45 minutes, as the Swiss outfit threatened to produce a surprise result and progress to the next round.

Frederic Chassot tapped home in front of a stunned Kop to give the visitors the lead after 19 minutes, but it soon got even worse for the Reds.

Striker Bonvin, another who had taken part in Euro 96, for Switzerland, fired a terrific low shot past David James four minutes later.

McManaman, a Liverpool player who has become criminally underrated as the years have drifted by, brought his team right back into the contest before the break, finishing well with a left-footed effort.

Anfield was about to be treated to a memorable second-half.

Rampant Reds

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Bjornebye, an extremely reliable player during his eight years on Merseyside, curled a free-kick past Stephan Lehmann shortly after the restart, despite slipping as he took it.

Just as it looked as though Liverpool were about to pull away, Chassot raced clear, rounded James and scored with consummate to put Sion 3-2 ahead. It epitomised the hosts’ suspect defence at that time.

Barnes, in the twilight of his career but still a sublime footballer, back-heeled a delightful effort past Lehmann just a minute later, as a barmy evening of entertainment continued.

From that point on, it was all Liverpool.

Great friends McManaman and Fowler twice combined to devastating effect within the space of two minutes, with the latter firing home both times in typically ruthless fashion. 5-3.

The icing on the cake was delivered by Berger with a minute left, with the Czech winger squeezing an effort into the Kop net having been put clean-through by Barnes.

A fantastic game was complete, and Liverpool were through to the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners’ Cup, where they faced SK Brann.

Liverpool XI: James, McAteer, Scales, Babb, Matteo, Bjornebye, Barnes (c), Thomas, McManaman, Berger, Fowler.

What happened next?

The Reds’ cup run was halted by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. A disastrous 3-0 loss in Paris was too much to turn around in the return fixture, with a spirited 2-0 win at Anfield not enough to reach the final.

Liverpool also once again fell short in the Premier League, with Man United crowned champions and Evans and his side having to settle for fourth place in the end.

Evans didn’t last too much longer as manager, eventually leaving the club having failed in a joint role with Gerard Houllier. The Frenchman took sole charge in late 1998.

The Reds team of the mid 1990s is definitely one that underachieved hugely, and had the talent to win numerous trophies. Unfortunately, a lack of ruthlessness and professionalism often got in the way.

Despite that, it was an extremely exciting time to be a Liverpool supporter. The 6-3 win over FC Sion perfectly illustrated that.

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Alberto Moreno loving life at Liverpool as he approaches 50th appearance

He was dropped from the team at the start of the season, but Alberto Moreno has impressed since the change in formation gave him a way back into the side.

The Spaniard was dropped for youngster Joe Gomez for the opening five games of the season, and was even linked with a move away from Anfield in the summer – just 12 months after arriving from Sevilla.

But the change to 3-4-3 has seen the 23-year-old, who has all the attributes for the left wing-back role, back in the side and highly impressive too.

Moreno has reacted well to being dropped, getting his head down and working hard – impressing on his sub appearances before finally getting his first start away to Bordeaux a fortnight ago.

“What you’ve got to do is keep working, get your head down in training and work really hard so you’re ready when you get the chance,” he told Premier League Productions.

“The manager thought it was the right time to put me in against Bordeaux and I grabbed my chance.

“I think I’ve done reasonably well since then; I’ve had three more games and I think I’ve played well, but obviously I’m still a young player and I know I can still continue to improve.

“I hope I’m giving the fans something to cheer about with my play and hopefully I’ll continue to impress them with my performances.”

Moreno has started every game since then – seemingly the only option Brendan Rodgers has on the left side after Lazar Markovic was loaned out to Fenerbahce.

Indeed, a start against FC Sion would be Moreno’s fifth in 14 days. Which isn’t ideal preparation for the Merseyside derby four days later.

It will also be his 50th appearance for the club.

“I couldn’t feel more settled, I’m really happy – not just myself, but my family. We love the club and the city.

“When my 50th game happens, I’ll be so pleased. To have my name among the illustrious players that have played for this club, to have featured in 50 games in just over a year, I’m really happy.

“But I’m not going to settle for that, I don’t want to take that as an achievement, I want to be playing more and more games. I want to be here for many more years and play as many games as I can.”

Including sub appearances, Moreno is the second most used player this season, behind Emre Can.

OPINION: Moreno impressing, but now overly relied upon with no cover at left wing-back

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