OPINION
Manuel Pellegrini must unleash Javier Hernandez against Liverpool on Sunday in order to make the most of their reported defensive problems.
The Reds are set to potentially be without several defenders for a variety of reasons and according to the Liverpool Echo this could even see youngster Nat Phillips make his senior debut for the side.
Klopp even addressed his side’s worrying potential defensive issues in his press conference on Friday and confirmed that the likes of Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan would definitely not figure.
“Dejan will not be available for the weekend, that’s how it is,” Klopp said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“We will see, we have no big issues but little things.
“Ragnar (Klavan) no real chance, Joel (Matip) did parts of training like Joe (Gomez) did, we will see how they are today.”
So with the German manager being dealt a selection headache ahead of his side’s opening Premier League game against the Hammers, Pellegrini needs to ensure his side make the most of it if their Premier League rivals end up fielding a makeshift defence.
In order to do this he has to play Hernandez along side Marko Arnautovic upfront in order to give his side enough firepower to exploit the Reds’ reported headache.
The 30-year-old, who earns £140,000-a-week at the London Stadium (Source: Spotrac) may have had a disappointing debut Hammers season after joining last summer but all signs suggests he’ll have better time with Pellegrini in charge.
Hernandez particularly struggled to not just perform but feature under David Moyes as the Scottish manager’s playing style clearly shackled the forward’s ability causing him not to deliver the goods.
The experienced forward managed only eight goals in 33 appearances for the Hammers in his 2017/18 campaign and will be eager to prove to everyone that he can fire the London club to glory.
Given that Pellegrini favours a more attacking style that should see Hernandez flourish then the manager must unleash him against the Reds in order to expose their potentially weaken defence as he could potential grab the winning goal for his side.
