Liverpool: Burnley an opportunity to prove evolution under Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool face Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday. Typically, it’s the type of game the Reds have struggled in recently.

Liverpool can earn a much-needed three points if they can beat Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday. On paper, it’s a straight-forward home win. In reality, it’s just the type of game Jurgen Klopp’s team have struggled with as of late.

Everybody knows about Liverpool’s struggles so far in 2017. Since the turn of the year, the Reds have won just two Premier League games from eight. Those two being against Arsenal and Tottenham.

The rest of the games against the likes of Sunderland, Swansea City and Leicester City have all ended in either a draw or a defeat. That’s the trend for Liverpool right now. The better the opposition, the better they play. The lesser the opposition, they go the other way.

So now Klopp faces a game at home to Burnley. The Clarets have had a good season at Turf Moor, but are among the worst in the Premier League away from home. Just the type of game Liverpool suffer in. But that has to change some time, right? It cannot continue.

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Klopp needs to show that his team are improving in that regard. The Liverpool boss needs to upgrade his squad in the summer. But that’s no excuse for consistently not beating the lesser lights in the Premier League.

Games like these, Liverpool should be winning regardless. Nine times out of ten, anyway. Klopp is known for his high-energy, intense pressing game. Winning the ball high up the park and forcing turnovers that lead to goals. Liverpool do that exquisitely.

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Now they need that second mode of attack. They need it for games like these, where teams tend to sit off and concede no space in behind their defense. Give up the ball and force Liverpool to have possession and create their own chances without turnovers.

A player like Sadio Mane forced to think and make decisions, not run. Players like Emre Can, Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum forced to dictate the game from the midfield. Can they pick the right pass?

Can they find Philippe Coutinho right at that second when he is open, not a second later when he is covered? It’s a different game. It takes patience and intricacy. No gifts for goals. The only gift is the onus to create and score goals from deeper.

The other side of the coin is motivation, too. Are Liverpool really motivated for the games against the teams lower down the table? They need to be. Playing a smaller team compared to a bigger team is an adjustment both mentally and physically.

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Liverpool have struggled with that adjustment. If the Reds are to make the top four, then that must change. And quickly. Liverpool need to show that they’re adapting to different challenges.

Show that they can play a different way. Show that they are evolving as a team. Burnley on Sunday will be a good opportunity to show exactly that.

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