5 Bold Predictions for Liverpool in 2016
Looking set to be another big year for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp continues to mould his new side in his image, 2016 could bring significant change on Merseyside.
Under Klopp's guidance, the Reds will be hopeful of sustaining a challenge for the Premier League's top four in 2015/16, with longstanding ambitions of title pushes lingering in the minds of the Anfield faithful. Adding silverware to the club's trophy cabinet will also be a priority for the German.
Liverpool find themselves in the running for the League Cup, FA Cup and the Europa League at the beginning of 2016, and Klopp will no doubt have set success in at least one of these competitions as a target.
There could be changes off the field, too, as Klopp sinks his teeth into the squad he inherited from Brendan Rodgers, with two transfer windows to come in 2016—the former Borussia Dortmund manager saw 17 players drop out of his first-team squad in his first season in charge, and it would not be out of the realms of fantasy to see something similar happen at Liverpool.
Klopp's challenge is to find a balance within this chaos of expectation and upheaval, and deliver an uplifting 2016 for supporters and to appease the owners who pushed for his appointment in October of last year.
But how could 2016 play out for Klopp and Liverpool?
Here are five bold predictions for the next 12 months, including a miserable end for Christian Benteke.
Lazar Markovic to Return to a Starting Role
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Rodgers stunned Liverpool supporters by allowing promising young forward Lazar Markovic to leave the club on loan at the beginning of 2015/16, with the Serbian joining Turkish giants Fenerbahce for the remainder of the season.
Markovic, who arrived at Anfield from Benfica in 2014 in a deal worth £20 million, struggled to impose himself in his first campaign on Merseyside, but he far from failed to prove his worth.
Joining as a 20-year-old from a significantly less demanding league in the Primeira Liga and with expectation as one of Europe's most high-potential talents, there is little surprise that Markovic didn't replicate Raheem Sterling's exploits in 2014/15.
But, given time to settle, it was clear that Markovic's pace, intelligent movement and work rate would have provided Liverpool with an invaluable option on either flank, behind the striker or as an auxiliary forward.
According to Turkish outlet AMK Spor (h/t the Star), the Serbia international has hinted at a permanent move to Istanbul.
Klopp may have other ideas, however, as Simon Jones of the Daily Mail indicated in October, claiming that the German had already explored the possibility of recalling Markovic in January—an eventuality that has transpired, according to the Times' Tony Barrett, to be impossible.
This at least suggests that Klopp sees a future for Markovic at Liverpool, and given the Reds' current lack of quality in the wide areas—with Jordon Ibe the only natural winger in the squad—2016 could see an upturn in fortunes for the loanee.
If Markovic returns to Merseyside this year, expect him to secure a regular starting role under Klopp.
Roberto Firmino to Outshine Philippe Coutinho
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Like Markovic, Roberto Firmino has endured a slow start to life at Liverpool.
In 23 appearances for the Reds in 2015/16, Firmino has scored one goal and assisted on another five, representing a disappointing return on the £29 million sanctioned to secure his move from Hoffenheim in June.
A major success in the Bundesliga, having established himself as a key player at Hoffenheim following his move from Figueirense in 2010, Firmino looked set to make an immediate impact on the Premier League.
However, while his struggles have been well documented, Firmino has far from provided Liverpool with a poor option in attack. And when he has performed to a high standard for the Reds this season, he has been excellent.
A barnstorming attacking display in Liverpool's 4-1 win away to Manchester City in November showcased Firmino's talents both on and off the ball, and while subsequent outings have been comparatively muted, criticism of the 24-year-old has been unfounded—against West Ham United on Saturday, for example, he was Klopp's most effective forward.
While Firmino shoulders most of the blame alongside Benteke at this stage, his compatriot Philippe Coutinho avoids criticism—but it is the Liverpool No. 10's inconsistency that should be most worrying for Klopp.
As Firmino continues to find his feet on Merseyside in 2016, he is likely to outshine Coutinho as the star of Liverpool's attacking line.
Liverpool Will Reach the Europa League Final
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Getting to grips with life in the Premier League, recent performances under Klopp—though hampered by a number of injuries—have showcased the German's inexperience when it comes to navigating the English top flight's congested winter schedule.
Having spent the entirety of his pre-Reds career in his native country, Klopp has enjoyed winter breaks throughout his time as a manager—the Bundesliga imposes a six-week gap on fixtures from mid-December to the end of January.
Juggling all-too-regular Premier League encounters with cup clashes, Klopp has seen his side suffer from fatigue, unearthing one of his weaknesses as a manager.
But one area that Klopp can profess to be an expert is in European competition, having steered Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2012/13, as well as the quarter-finals in the following campaign.
Klopp's new side take on a familiar adversary in the Europa League's round of 32 in February, with a two-legged tie against FC Augsburg giving the Reds an opportunity to flex their muscles on the continent.
Augsburg currently 12th in the Bundesliga table, and Liverpool should enter this stage as favourites.
Surpass Markus Weinzierl's side, and Klopp could kickstart a push for another European final.
Emre Can to Be Named Player of the Year
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Though the likes of Firmino have struggled to find consistent form, and Coutinho, Jordan Henderson, Daniel Sturridge, Mamadou Sakho and James Milner have all suffered with injuries throughout 2015/16, one player has stood out as key to Liverpool's success so far: Emre Can.
The German midfielder, still only 21, has enjoyed an uplift in form following Klopp's arrival, with the manager installing him as a first-choice central midfielder almost immediately after his appointment in October.
Having spent the majority of his Liverpool career up to that point operating in a utility role for Rodgers—as a left-back, right-back, centre-back, in midfield or even as a No. 10—Can will have been encouraged by this show of faith.
Rewarding Klopp's loyalty, Can has performed as Liverpool's linchpin in the middle of the park, balancing his defensive duties with trademark surges into the final third, and he looks set to develop into a complete midfielder.
Finding consistency towards the end of 2015, Can now serves as one of Liverpool's key players, and it is difficult to see a route back into the first team for Milner on his recovery from a calf injury.
Last season, Coutinho's match-winning heroics, including a host of stunning, long-range strikes, saw the Brazilian named the club's Player of the Year.
If Can continues to produce the top-level performances seen under Klopp, the former Bayer Leverkusen man could find himself enjoying similar recognition in 2016.
Christian Benteke Will Be Sold
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An abject display in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at West Ham magnified the fears of the Liverpool support when it comes to Benteke, with the Belgian striker producing a lethargic performance far removed from those required to lead the line in a high-tempo, attacking outfit.
Benteke failed to close West Ham's defenders down off the ball, offered little in terms of dynamic movement in the final third—completely ignoring the channels—and, perhaps most worryingly, struggled to dominate the Hammers' centre-backs aerially, winning just two aerial duels compared to Angelo Ogbonna's seven.
Despite scoring winning goals against Leicester City and Sunderland, Benteke's disappointing all-round contribution is a concern for Klopp, as he told the Guardian's Andy Hunter after Liverpool's win over the Foxes:
"There is no doubt he brings goals. We need his goals but I don’t only think about him and goals. We are not a team that can play with a striker who scores a goal but is not involved in the game for the other 89 minutes.
We need the striker for the other options too, to work for the other minutes.
I know Christian can do this, that’s what I said. We had a really good talk in the week. He knows what he has to do. He came in and had a really good game, and decided the game. So well done!
"
While this praise was likely intended as encouragement for a striker who has endured considerable criticism since his £32.5 million move from Aston Villa, Benteke's performance against West Ham undermined Klopp.
Benteke has so far failed to show a capacity to fulfil the duties of a Klopp centre-forward, and while the Belgian may end the season as Liverpool's top goalscorer, this could see him sold at the end of the season.
Statistics via WhoScored.com and Transfermarkt.co.uk.
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