Forward thinking is the key for Liverpool in Munich... they missed Virgil van Dijk's positivity from the back in first leg against Bayern Everyone thought the absence of Virgil van Dijk would cost Liverpool defensively But makeshift centre-half pairing of Joel Matip and Fabinho kept a clean sheet What Liverpool missed in their draw with Bayern was Van Dijk's forward thinking Matip, in particular, panicked in possession, frequently passing back to Alisson
By Martin Keown for the Daily Mail
Published: 23:04 GMT, 19 February 2019 | Updated: 23:04 GMT, 19 February 2019
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Everyone thought the absence of Virgil van Dijk would cost Liverpool defensively. While the makeshift centre-half pairing of Joel Matip and Fabinho kept a clean sheet — no mean feat against Bayern Munich — they missed the Dutchman's forward thinking.
Positivity from the centre backs is crucial to the way Jurgen Klopp's team play. Van Dijk and Joe Gomez — Liverpool's first-choice pairing — are usually effortless in possession. They are always looking to play forwards to give the platform to build their attacks.
That was not always the case on Tuesday night. Matip, in
