Five Reds who need to shine during the European Championship qualifiers.
Liverpool headed into the international break on a high, with the Reds having comfortable seen off Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in their final Premier League match before their players jetted off on international duty.
SEE MORE:
Liverpool XI without Daniel Sturridge.
FIFA 15 player ratings released.
Liverpool FC news
The European nations are already back in competitive action, with the majority playing their opening matches in the qualification campaign for the 2016 European Championships in France.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is likely to be running the rule over their performances, with these five in particular needing to do something to boost their prospects both for club and country:
Mamadou Sakho (France)
Liverpool centre back Mamadou Sakho is more of a regular for France than he is for Liverpool – but will be looking to do something to break his way into Brendan Rodgers’ first team sooner rather than later. Keeping up his solid displays for Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus will do him no harm, despite their games only being de-factor friendlies due to hosting the upcoming tournament.
Dejan Lovren (Croatia)
Having spent £20 million on him from Southampton, it will take more than the reasonably solid displays that he has put in for the Reds so far for Dejan Lovren to convince Liverpool supporters that he was value for money. The competition for places at Anfield is also fierce, so anything that Lovren can do in Croatia’s home game against Malta to catch the eye of Rodgers would be excellent news indeed.
Jordan Henderson (England)
The international retirement of club teammate Steven Gerrard has meant that Jordan Henderson has had to take on increased responsibility in the England side alongside Jack Wilshere – and he is still a long way from proving that is up to the job at international level. As with all of the England side, he will need to be on top form during the trip to Basel to face highly rated Switzerland.
Joe Allen (Wales)
The addition of eight extra qualifying places for the 2016 tournament has peaked the interest of nations such as Wales, who will feel that a play-off place, at the very least, is well within their grasp. This will heap the pressure on their stand-out midfielders, including Joe Allen, who will be expected to ensure that no mistake is made when Chris Coleman’s side travel to minnows Andorra.
Raheem Sterling (England)
Praise has been heaped on wonderkid winger Raheem Sterling thanks to his display against Norway in England’s friendly victory last week – but the English media are renowned for their ability to break down a star once he has been built up. Sterling needs to keep on their good side by ensuring that his performances for the Three Lions match his Liverpool displays, with the 19 year-old set to be given huge creative responsibility in Basel on Monday evening.