Olivier Giroud expects Liverpool to “provide a real test” in double-header

Striker Olivier Giroud believes the two upcoming matches between Chelsea and Liverpool will provide a solid test of how good they really are this season after Maurizio Sarri’s team were held to a goalless draw with West Ham yesterday.

The London club face a tough double-header against Jurgen Klopp’s high-flying Liverpool, who remain the only side the Premier League to win all of their matches so far. The Blues face the Reds in the Carabao Cup at Anfield on Wednesday before their first league clash at Stamford bridge just three days later.

Giroud expects Liverpool to offer up a stern assessment of Chelsea’s title-contending aspirations, according to the Evening Standard.

“They will provide a real test of how good we are,” said the French international. “We need to show team character after the West Ham game, so there is nothing better than to play the team at the top of the League. It will be a good test.

“The coach will obviously make some changes for the League Cup tie, but we have many players with quality and we have a good team.

“We want to be strong and show them that it won’t be easy for them at Anfield. We want to keep the confidence high and come back to London with good momentum and start a winning run again.

“The League Cup match is going to be the best preparation for the Premier League game. We’re going there to win — we’re not just focusing on the other one.

“It was a bit disappointing against West Ham. We are aware of that and we will work on it. We want to bounce back as soon as possible. It’s a tough time, but this is when you see the men and we have to show stronger character and respond in the next game.”

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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – Saturday, November 25, 2017: Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah vies with Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield. (Pic by Lindsey Parnaby/Propaganda)

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Giroud added that Chelsea will have to show something different against Liverpool if they are to get anything from their upcoming confrontations.

“Now they are starting to know us well, so we need to bring something else,” he said. “We have to recognise the best way to put a team in difficulties.

“Against West Ham, we sometimes rushed our game and were not patient or maybe we did not put enough pace in our game. Maybe we need to give a bit more on the pitch as well.

“As a team we didn’t succeed in finding the solution. We tried too much to play inside and — against a strong defence like that, a lot of players — it was very hard to combine, especially in the last 30 yards. Maybe we should have gone a bit more on the wings and put in more crosses in. We also need to improve on our finishing, after also not taking our chances on Thursday.

“We are not hiding behind the fact  we had to play two games in a few days. We had a long trip back from Greece and it was tiring because we had to stay out there. And when we came back we had to train straight away. It’s not the best, but we were aware about that beforehand and we have enough quality in our group. We have quantity as well, we have very good competition for places, very good players.”

Klopp will hope to have Virgil van Dijk fully fit for Wednesday night to help marshal Giroud after the centre-back was forced to leave the pitch through injury at the weekend.

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Source: anfieldhq.com