ESPN FC's Steve Nicol and company talk Liverpool after the club once again turn down Barcelona's bid for Philippe Coutinho.
Liverpool's preseason had been going so well. The team were unbeaten and had performed impressively, irrespective of how many changes were made to it, and the Reds looked to be in good shape ahead of the opening game at Watford this Saturday.
Then Adam Lallana picked up an injury that will sideline him for up to three months. A blow, certainly, but with Philippe Coutinho set to be employed in a midfield role this season that loss was offset somewhat. Until that is, it emerged that Coutinho himself is struggling to be fit for the big kickoff because of a back injury.
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Liverpool's midfield with one or both of Lallana and Coutinho in it is more than a match for any team in England, perhaps even Europe. Remove both though, and it looks workmanlike and pedestrian.
Coutinho might yet make it for Watford but even if he has recovered in time he may be held back for the trip to Hoffenheim anyway, given the vital importance of that two-legged Champions League qualifier. Should Liverpool fail to overcome the German side it would undo all of the good work from last season in securing a place in the top four and would cast a huge cloud over the start of this new season.
The Premier League should take priority over Europe for Liverpool, but only once they have secured their place in the Champions League group stages.
With that in mind, Jurgen Klopp's team selection on Saturday might be impacted by Tuesday's qualifier and if it is there should be no criticism of the German. There won't be mass changes but there may be one or two left out on Saturday who would normally be expected to play.
Liverpool will be tested with midfielder Adam Lallana out for up to three months.
It's a similar dilemma to that which faced Rafa Benitez in 2006 when he took his Liverpool side to Sheffield United on opening day for a game sandwiched in between two qualifiers against Maccabi Haifa. Benitez rested a number of regulars for the trip to Bramall Lane, a fact conveniently overlooked by then Blades' boss Neil Warnock, who took exception to the Spaniard adopting the same policy late in the season in a loss at Fulham that ensured Warnock's team were relegated.
The Reds reached the Champions League Final that season and Benitez had understandably wanted to protect some of his star players. Warnock was far from impressed, stating that he "will never forgive Benitez." Strange that he wasn't complaining when his own side benefited from it by taking a point off the Reds on opening day!
Most Kopites would happily accept history repeating itself with a draw on Saturday if it also meant they would be in the Champions League Final next May.
A trip to Watford isn't the easiest of starts but Liverpool should still feel confident of victory, whether Coutinho is involved or not. The front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and newcomer Mohamed Salah have not spent much time on the field together in preseason, but individually all have looked razor sharp and there is great balance to Klopp's attack.
Mane and Salah have speed to burn, and the clever movement and link play of Firmino creates space for the wide pair to run into. Having Coutinho behind them pulling the strings should once again make Liverpool a potent attacking force this season, but they'll need better luck with injuries this time around if they are to improve on last season's fourth-place finish.
Klopp's men hammered Watford 6-1 at Anfield last season but needed an Emre Can wonder goal to secure the points at Vicarage Road. The Reds were flying when they went into that first meeting at the beginning of November, but by the time the sides met again in May, the rampant attacking play had long since been extinguished, in no small part by the loss of Mane.
Philippe Coutinho's future continues to be the subject of much speculation.
Watford were utterly dreadful that night but the result was far closer than it ought to have been. Indeed, had Sebastian Prodl's last-second shot against the crossbar been an inch or two lower, Liverpool would not be having to worry about the qualifier with Hoffenheim because they would not have made the top four.
The home side will be much changed from that night, with a different manager and a new centre-forward who have both inflicted misery on Liverpool with their former clubs. New boss Marco Silva put one over on Klopp when his Hull City side embarrassed the Reds with a 2-0 win in February, and striker Andre Gray was in the Burnley side that also beat the Merseysiders 2-0 last August.
Gray scored Burnley's second that day and he caused the Liverpool defence numerous problems with his pace and direct running. He will presumably partner Troy Deeney in attack, and Deeney is another to have given Liverpool problems in the past, although he made little impression in either fixture last season.
Regardless of who is in the Watford side or who Klopp selects in his team, Liverpool will go into the game with confidence and looking to get off to the kind of start they did last season.
Dave Usher is one of ESPN's Liverpool bloggers and the founder of LFC fanzine and website The Liverpool Way. Follow him on Twitter: @theliverpoolway.
Source: espn.co.uk