Galatasaray handed Liverpool a Turkish drill at the RAMS Park in Istanbul, Turkiye, a couple of nights ago. It was Match Day 2 of the UEFA Champions League and Liverpool had travelled to Istanbul to face the Lions and Champions of Turkey.
Liverpool were the favourites without a doubt, but their loss to Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend had, in a way, taken some sheen of their favourite tag. Galatasaray, one of the oldest clubs in Europe ( 119 years), coached by Okan Buruk, a former midfielder with the Turkish National Team, were no pushovers and a tough contest was expected, particularly in Istanbul.
Arne Slot decided to keep Salah on the bench as Hugo Etikite returned to the lineup in the striker’s position. However, what surprised me most was the position of Frimpong and Szoboszlai. The Hungarian was put in the right back position, while Frimpong played in place of Mo Salah. Maybe Slot wanted to experiment with Frimpong, which unfortunately did not yield any encouraging results.
Victor Osimhen, the brilliant Nigerian, scored early from the penalty spot for Galatasaray when Szoboszlai unfortunately conceded a penalty with a handball foul. A goal down, Liverpool got into more complications as their star goalkeeper Alisson Becker got injured, and Hugo Etikite, too, limped off the field with an injury concern.
Salah and Alexander Isak came on as substitutes later in the game, and though the Reds tried their best, they just couldn’t score. Galatasaray’s defence was organised to the core, defied the Liverpool attacks and runs.
The Reds, however, did not inspire much confidence and at times appeared listless. Salah, though did not get much of match time, he remains far from his best and that showed on the field. Galatasaray survived a late penalty appeal, which was controversially disallowed, and the Turks managed to win the game 1-0.
Two consecutive losses for Liverpool have happened only for the second time during Arne Slot’s tenure. Injuries to Alisson Becker and Etikite have further complicated the situation for Liverpool, with just two days left for their away game to Chelsea. Both players are out of that contest for sure.
It would indeed be a tough challenge for Liverpool to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a critical EPL fixture on Saturday. A loss to Chelsea would open up the table for Arsenal significantly. A win is a must for the defending champions. But the question is, can they restore the self-belief that appears to have been bruised?
We shall know on Saturday.
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