Liverpool faced with two crosses, which one will they choose to carry?

Liverpool is faced with the hardest trial in the world of football. Any single mistake could cost the club big time. Time for taking chances is not part of their portion right now. They have to do all they can but salvage their good start with outstanding performance. Will they carry both crosses or they will choose one?

Yet with Liverpool preparing for a winner-takes-all Champions League visit of Napoli, Klopp would be forgiven for listening to the Red Devil on his shoulder. The manager has fared relatively well trying to balance domestic and European plates so far this season, but refusing to prioritise carries an inherent risk as time goes on. You could quite easily end up accidentally breaking both.

As wonderful as they have been in the Premier League, they have failed to emulate it on the continent. An unkind group has not helped: last season’s runners-up would have struggled to progress convincingly against Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli even without the pressure of having to keep their eyes on the Premier League road.

That said, three defeats in four Champions League games were all as avoidable as they were damaging. One slip would not have affected Liverpool’s hopes; two would still have given them plenty of breathing space. But a hat-trick of poor performances in Naples, Belgrade and Paris leaves them teetering on the brink.

A return to home comforts could be key. Liverpool have lost their last five Champions League away games, but have won six of their last seven at Anfield. “If something special is possible in football, then it is here,” Klopp said at the weekend. He plans to harness that famous atmosphere to thwart Napoli on Tuesday.

Their fate is still in their hands. A 1-0 win or victory by two clear goals puts Liverpool through, but a one-goal win with Napoli scoring opens the door for the Italian side and PSG. The Reds can still top the group and, in the unlikely event that both Napoli and Red Star win, could still finish bottom.

As tempting as it might be, Klopp will not throw this game. He has failed to progress from a Champions League group just once – his first season in the competition in 2011/12. He has reached the last 16 at least on each of his four subsequent attempts.

And as attractive as the idea is, Klopp should not throw this game either. Liverpool have invested enough to expect to compete in at least two different competitions at once. Now they are finally top of the Premier League, it is time to transfer that form to the Champions League.

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