Liverpool must beware a new Ajax danger man in Amsterdam tonight

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Liverpool take on Ajax in their first Champions League group stage match this evening.

The Reds will be hoping to get their campaign off to a perfect start with three points, although they will be missing Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara for the clash.

All three players picked up injuries against Everton on Saturday, with van Dijk looking at many months on the sidelines having suffered ACL damage.

Those absences certainly give Ajax a much better chance of a positive result, and there’s one new kid on the block Liverpool do need to be a bit wary of.

The Dutch giants completed a move for Mohammed Kudus from Danish side Nordsjælland in July, and the 20-year-old Ghanaian midfielder has already made a huge impression.

The star has scored one goal and made three assists in three games so far, impressing with his technical quality in the advanced midfield positions.

Ajax also signed Brazilian winger Antony who has also started very impressively, but he won’t be fit for the game and so Kudus is arguably the new danger man to watch out for for Liverpool.

TBR’s View – Liverpool have to be careful

Liverpool head into tonight’s game with Fabinho expected to play as a centre-half to cover for van Dijk.

That means the Reds will be setting up without a natural midfield enforcer, which the lively Kudus will potentially be looking to exploit.

Kudus, who cost Ajax around  €9 million/£8 million (Football Oranje), seems like he could be the next big emerging talent at the club, and Liverpool do not want to be the club whom he announces his name against to European audiences.

Football Oranje describe him as being ‘rapidly quick’, ‘strong on the ball’ and as having ‘excellent dribbling ability’, so the warning signs are there.