After stifling Mbappé and Vinícius, revived Liverpool hone in on Haaland

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Arne Slot called for a repeat of Liverpool’s performance against Real Madrid when the Premier League champions visit Manchester City and will no doubt repeat himself in the coming days. They do not include the Carabao Cup.The Champions League victory over Xabi Alonso’s La Liga leaders, who had 13 wins from 14 games before their arrival at Anfield, was the perfect remedy for a Liverpool team looking to heal the wounds of the worst run of Slot’s reign.

It was also perfect preparation for what awaits at the Etihad Stadium: an opponent that wants to play out, that will not sit in a low block and carries an obvious, rampant threat.Slot’s instructions to his team at Anfield included containing the source of 18 of Madrid’s 26 goals in La Liga this season, Mbappé and Vinícius, both of whom will be glad of a break from Conor Bradley. The objective is clear for Liverpool in their attempts to stage a repeat on Sunday.“It will be similar a little bit,” said Virgil van Dijk, who dominated Haaland at Anfield last season when Liverpool followed up a 2-0 win against Madrid with a 2-0 defeat of Pep Guardiola’s team.

The return of last season’s midfield core of Dominik Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch enhanced the protection to Liverpool’s backline. He is developing into the player we all feel like he could be.