There are few better things in football than a European night at Anfield and you can expect a fantastic atmosphere at the stadium tonight when the club takes on German giants Bayern Munich. Both teams can feel a little unlucky that they have been put together with such a strong opponent at this stage in the tournament, and one of them will be going out a lot earlier than expected because of that. It was Liverpool that finished second in their group to set this tie up, although it is them that are the slight favourites to win this tie overall.

Bayern have been a dominant force in both German and European football for the past decade, but they are currently struggling behind Dortmund in the Bundesliga, and we could be seeing a change over there. They went unbeaten in the group stage, with four wins and two draws, although it wasn’t the hardest of groups, and certainly a lot easier than the one that Liverpool found themselves in.

Liverpool looked to be destined for third place in their group until a win in the last game allowed them to leapfrog Napoli. They were drawn against the Italian club and French side PSG, in what was the group of death in the early stages, and although they only managed second, just qualifying from that group was an achievement for Liverpool.

These two come together in what will be the second of three ties featuring and English club against a German club and we will see which league comes out on top and shows it is the dominant force. Tottenham beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 last week at Wembley, and Liverpool would love to replicate that result and give them something huge to defend when they took to the field in Germany a few weeks from now. The final of the three games takes place on Wednesday, with Premier League title holders Manchester City traveling to face Schalke in Germany for a game that they are heavy favourites to win.

Are Bayern Losing their Grip on the Bundesliga?

For many years now we have seen Bayern Munich dominate the Bundesliga and perform well in Europe, but is that coming to an end? Although they still look a very good team, and they are currently second in the table behind Dortmund, there is no doubt that their rivals have taken over them this season.

Dortmund look fresh, full of young and exciting players that love to play football and score goals, while in comparison, Bayern look slow, old and in need of a change. I don’t think that Bayern have regressed too much in the space of a year, but what has happened is a combination of them slowing down a little and Borussia Dortmund taking a big step forward.

Some have previously labelled the Bundesliga as a little boring, with Bayern Munich being too strong and dominating the league. However, if this season is anything to go by then we are going to have a fantastic battle for years  to come as Borussia Dortmund show they are more than capable of winning a league title, and I am sure Bayern will respond as they won’t like that.

Will Liverpool’s Fitness Hold Out for them to Claim the Premier League Title?

Who wins the Premier League title this season may be decided by fitness levels. Both Liverpool and Manchester City are seen as the main contenders for the title, with Tottenham as the outsiders. Many believe Tottenham will fall just short, and a lot of that opinion is formed because they have a much smaller squad than the other two, after no investment across the last two transfer windows.

Last season, when Liverpool played in the Champions League final they looked a very tired team, and since then many of their players have not really had a rest due to the World Cup taking place this summer. This season not only do they have the Champions League to play in, but also the Premier League as they look to take the title away from Manchester City.

When Liverpool have had a couple of disappointing games recently, they have looked slow and tired and that has to be a big concern for their supporters. Challenging on two fronts for two of the biggest competitions in the world is not easy, but that is what is expected from Liverpool now, such is the talent in their squad. Can they handle the test on their squad, and can they stay fit and fresh enough to win both the Premier League title and challenge for the Champions League? If Liverpool don’t, and they fade away then that is going to pose some serious questions for them over the summer months as they look to figure out just what they need to do to become league champions.

Liverpool vs Bayern Munich Betting Tips

The way this game is set out, and the fact that Liverpool have to attack to take something to Germany with them to defend, is likely to really suit them. You can expect the full Anfield crowd, minus the away end, backing them strongly tonight and cheering them on when they attack. Liverpool usually thrive on this, and tonight should be no different.

When asked to play an expansive game and score goals, Liverpool are at their very best, and that is why I think they will do enough to beat Bayern in the first leg here. Ideally Liverpool would love to take a lead of two goals or more with them to Germany, and if they score a goal, you can expect them to continue to pile the pressure on and look for more.

Bayern are a good team, but they are not as strong as the reputation they have, and they are beatable here. While they performed well in their group, and they went unbeaten, it wasn’t the strongest of groups and they have to show a higher level of form here.

I don’t think they are capable of doing that, and I also think they may come into this with too much of a defensive mindset which could backfire on them. The last thing they want to do at Anfield is sit back and invite Liverpool to put them under pressure.

With that in mind, and the fact that Liverpool really need to win this one, I am backing Liverpool to win this leg, and head across to Germany with a lead in the game.

 

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