Gini: Spurs clash will be a spectacle, but win is important for us
Victory over Tottenham Hotspur can provide Liverpool with the perfect foundation for a consistent return to form – but only if they're ready to build upon it with repeat displays, believes Georginio Wijnaldum.
The Reds take on the country’s current second-place team at Anfield this evening, aiming to record a first league win of 2017 and cut the gap between the sides to a point in the process.
Wijnaldum feels Jürgen Klopp’s side have demonstrated their ability to effectively compete in such high-profile matches this season – most recently with an excellent display in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea – but insists they need to maintain such performance levels over a series of games.
He told Liverpoolfc.com: “[A win] would give us a good feeling – confidence – and be a great boost for us. We’ve had a lot of bad results in the month of January, so a win could help us go forward with a lot of confidence. It could change things around us.
“But it was the same against Chelsea and in the game after that we didn’t perform well, so we must make sure we win a few games in a row, not one game and then the other games are bad again.
“It’s better if you can do it in a few games in a row and not just one game. We’ve done it against the biggest teams this season, but we must make sure we do it more often now.”
Despite such sentiment, Wijnaldum is under no illusion as to the threat Tottenham will pose to Liverpool’s ambitions of victory, particularly as Mauricio Pochettino’s men are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League outings.
“What I like about the Spurs team is that they’re always trying to play football,” said the Reds No.5. “They’re not a team that play long balls or defend really deep – they try to play high pressure, almost similar to us and that’s why I think it’s going to be a good game.
“They will try to win, we will try to win, so it’ll be an interesting game. They try to play football and score goals with high pressing, the same as what we try to do.
“They want to play football, we want to play football. They want to press high, the same thing we want to do, so it’s going to be a difficult game.”
One factor that will firmly be in Liverpool’s favour at tea-time will be the home support, as ever in L4.
And Wijnaldum is in no doubt Reds fans will be ready to make themselves heard inside Anfield once more, just as they do at any venue the team are competing at.
“I don’t think I have to say something to the supporters,” said the Netherlands midfielder. “From what I am seeing and the feeling I get, in every game they are trying to support us.
“Of course, they might have moments in a game when they’ll be disappointed, but every game the stadium is full and they are there to support us. Even at away games, you see the area they’re in is always full.
“So I don’t have to say anything, they already do it better [than I could say]. All I could say is ‘thank you’.”