Liverpool vs Atletico: Partey pooper? - The midfield battle key to Reds' title defence

September 26th 2018. That was the date the last time Liverpool lost a home competitive match. In that time, they have failed to win just four games, though two have come in the Champions League. That said, you can be sure Anfield will be rocking when Atletico Madrid come to town on Wednesday night. 

Liverpool need to win to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. In their last 42 matches at Anfield, they have secured a result that would at least take the midweek tie to extra time on 29 occasions. However, this Atletico side is famous for being notoriously difficult to break down. 

In the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano, Liverpool enjoyed 72.6% possession, yet failed to muster a shot on target to mark an unhappy return to Madrid. Of their eight shots, four were from outside of the box as the Reds resorted to pot shots to test Jan Oblak in the Atletico goal. Atletico, meanwhile, didn't have a shot on target since Alvaro Morata was denied in the 25th minute and completed just 187 passes compared to Liverpool's 620. It was a victory reminiscent to Homer Simpson winning a boxing match because his opponent became tired in their bid to knock him out, Drederick Tatum aside. Los Colchoneros hold a slender advantage from the clash in Spain, but you can be sure that Diego Simeone's side will camp out on the edge of their box to repel wave after wave of Liverpool attack. 

It promises to be a long evening for Atletico as they aim to keep Liverpool's world class attack at bay. Given the Spanish side have kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 away league matches, it is an approach that could come back to haunt Simeone and his squad. Yet conversely, Liverpool have to be wary about committing too many men forward should the minutes tick by and the Reds are yet to break this Atletico resolve. 

Either way, the clash promises to be an exciting affair on Merseyside and one that could well be determined by the midfield battle between Fabinho and Thomas Partey. The former played the full 90 minutes in their 2-1 win over Bournemouth, while the latter sat out Atletico's 2-2 draw with Sevilla through suspension, so will be well rested to face Liverpool. 

Fans of Arsenal and Manchester United will be monitoring Partey closely, too, with the Premier League pair previously linked with a move for the Ghanaian and having enjoyed a fine Champions League campaign to date, it's easy to see why. Partey's WhoScored rating in the Champions League this season is a fine 7.50, that ranking among the top 25 players in the competition so far. 

The 26-year-old put in a fine shift in midfield at the Wanda Metropolitano, with his performance yielding a WhoScored rating of 7.59, that his third best in a Champions League match this season. Reinforcing statistically calculated WhoScored strengths of 'tackling' and 'ball interception', Partey has made 33 tackles and interceptions combined in the Champions League this term, that ranking ninth of all players, while only Thiago (42) has won possession in the midfield third more times than Partey (40) in Europe's elite club competition. 

He is the ideal shield for a team that is more than capable of digging deep to see out a 1-0 lead and in Partey and the rest of the Atletico Madrid contingent, they have the means to keep Liverpool's flying attack at bay on home turf. Indeed, since Simeone's appointment, they have won 18 European matches by that scoreline and in falling to a 1-0 loss in Spain, Liverpool will be under pressure to draw level early on at Anfield. Head coach Jurgen Klopp needs to come up with solutions to break through the deep Atletico block in their quest to successfully defend their Champions League crown, which will prove easier said than done against a side that boasts a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'protecting the lead'. 

Fortunately the German can at least call upon a fine holding midfielder of his own in the form of Fabinho, which lessens the risk of Liverpool being caught short at the back when Atletico do counter. Fabinho has slotted into the Reds XI with ease and is as important to Liverpool as Partey is to Atletico. Affording the necessary defensive resolve, Liverpool's octopus in the middle of the park allows Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson to barrel up the right and left flanks, respectively, safe in the knowledge the Brazilian is sat in front of the backline to minimise any opposing threat. 

Fabinho is putting up a solid average of 3.1 tackles per 90 in the Champions League this term and despite a spell on the sidelines following an injury sustained in Liverpool's 1-1 home draw with Napoli, the 26-year-old has still won possession in the midfield 30 times in the Champions League this season, that the eighth best return. 

It's the crunch midfield battle when Fabinho and Partey meet that will be decisive in this Champions League second leg clash and for contrasting reasons as Atletico aim to knock out the competition's holders and defend their 1-0 lead. Liverpool, meanwhile, need to be wary of being caught on the break as they look to draw level and avoid a last-16 exit in their Champions League defence.