Not Mane, Not Salah – This intelligent Liverpool star could be the key man for Klopp against PSG

Georginio Wijnaldum could be the stand out player for Liverpool vs PSG

Liverpool have made a perfect start to this Premier League season, living up to the early season hype until now. However, with the first international break over, different competitions are on the horizon – starting with the Champions League.

The Reds have been drawn in a tough group consisting of PSG, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade. First up, they face the French champions at Anfield on Tuesday.

The good thing for Jurgen Klopp’s men is that they have secured a comfortable 2-1 win at Tottenham prior to this game. Hence, the confidence of beating a big team away from home will boost them ahead of this contest.

Playing against a side who are one of the favourites to win the Champions League won’t be an easy task but Liverpool are no slouches as they were the runners-up last season. In addition, the Anfield factor is certain to have its say and it will not be easy for the away team.

Looking at the Liverpool squad, there are match-winners in abundance, who can turn the game in their team’s favour in a trice. For that reason, PSG have to be extra cautious of the fact that this game is at Anfield, where the atmosphere is very toxic for the opposition players, especially on European nights.

Out of those match-winners, there is one player who can really stand up and be counted as a surprise star – Georginio Wijnaldum. Here’s why:

Wijnaldum – A changed player

The Dutchman has started this season on a high, taking up the No.6 role and performing it to perfection. With Fabinho and Jordan Henderson waiting to compete for that position, it is clearly evident that Georginio Wijnaldum has stepped his performance level up. The result of that is evidently seen from the results as Liverpool look really good in the midfield.

The kind of player Wijnaldum is, he loves to remain involved in the game. This is why the defensive midfield role suits him, as a team’s heartbeat is the player who shields the back-line and passes the ball forward to initiate the attack.

Against PSG, Liverpool need someone who can cover the space in the midfield lines and also cover for the full-backs whenever they move forward. The likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe would look to run the channels and exploit the spaces left by the Liverpool full-backs and for that reason, Wijnaldum’s role as a defensive midfielder will be very important.

Read More: Why Liverpool ignoring heavy summer interest in 20-year-old prodigy could be a step in the right direction

Verdict

We all know Liverpool can score goals in almost every game they play. The challenge against PSG would be to stop the high-flying opposition attackers and virtually win the game. To perform that, Georginio Wijnaldum could be a key figure for the Reds on Tuesday night.