A resilient defense that can withstand the attacking pressure
Much is made of Liverpool's fearsome trident of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane who together scored 30 goals between them in the 2017/18 campaign; a record total for any trio in Champions League history.
Their defense, however, has proved sturdy and resilient during the start of this season, with the Reds only conceding two goals in their opening five Premier League games. Apart from the opening day victory against West Ham, all of Liverpool's wins have required a high level of concentration and intensity for the full ninety minutes, as they ground out wins against Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Leicester. The Reds look to have been cruising at 2-0 when playing the Foxes at the King Power Stadium but that all changed after Allison's comedic error in the 53rd minute which put Klopp's side under unnecessary pressure.
The acquisition of Virgil Van Dijk in January and the emergence of Trent Alexander, Joe Gomez, and Andy Robertson allowed Liverpool to see out that game and take home all three points. In the match against Brighton, Alisson's save from Glenn Murray in the dying moments of the match denied the Seagulls a crucial away point at Anfield as the Brazilian retained his focus despite being a spectator for most of the game.
The Parisian's will no doubt have a period of dominance on Tuesday, given their prolific frontline but now have the tools to cope more effectively. Set pieces and getting to the second ball seemed like an inherent weakness in every Liverpool defense in recent years but the now watertight back four looks more aware and focused than before.