Wednesday 11 April 2018 16:56, UK
Phil Thompson is wary of Manchester City's attacking threat ahead of the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool.
Liverpool established a commanding 3-0 lead on another great European night at Anfield, but club legend Thommo warns them City are more than capable of overturning that deficit at the Etihad on Tuesday night.
"Liverpool have to score because my worry is that if we can score three goals in 45 minutes, with the qualities that they have shown all season, then they can do the same," he tells Sky Sports.
"It is incredible that you can be 3-0 up and be nervous as hell, but I would feel more comfortable against Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich with a 3-0 lead.
"They had numerous chances to finish United off in the first half on Saturday and I can't see them being that wasteful again, so this tie is definitely not over.
"However, I don't think they will be able to score five. People will say they did it before against us, but that was against 10 men. City have the capability to score three, but Liverpool also have ability to not only score once, but twice."
Liverpool will be sweating on the fitness of leading goalscorer Mohamed Salah, who limped out of the first leg with a groin problem, before missing the Merseyside derby. And Thommo will be boosted by the fact the Egyptian trained on Monday.
"I think one of the big things is Salah has to play and having that three-pronged attack gives us that edge," he added.
"If we're missing a player who has scored almost 40 goals then that is obviously going to be a blow. You will always miss that so it imperative that he plays.
"Because of the Chelsea result on Sunday, it would take a massive implosion not to qualify for the Champions League, so I think as long as he is feeling like he wants to play, I'd say let's go for it.
"I think you've got to be a little more concerned without him, but this is not a one-man team. Yes our forward players have been our main men, but in the first leg it was the three midfielders who took the initiative."
Thommo does, however, believe they can cope without central midfielder and captain Jordan Henderson - who serves a one-match ban - with Georginio Wijnaldum backed to fill his place.
"You need legs in there to play against City, but you saw in the first leg James Milner can still run all day and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also did a great job," he said.
"One of the things I like about Wijnaldum is that he's disciplined, he knows how to play his role, whatever it may be. People have criticised him not doing enough, but his game management is very good."
