Monday 17 October 2016 20:00, UK
Manchester United will have to contend with threats from all angles when they face in-form Liverpool on Monday Night Football. Ahead of the blockbuster encounter at Anfield, we examine how Jurgen Klopp uses a fluid formation to wreak havoc on his opponents…
Optimism is in the air at Anfield after Liverpool's strong start to the season. Jurgen Klopp's men have already beaten Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester in the opening weeks of the campaign, and they welcome old rivals Manchester United to Anfield on Monday hoping to claim their biggest scalp yet.
Their exhilarating performances have provided plenty to get excited about. Liverpool have scored more times from open play (11) than any other Premier League side, with Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Georginio Wijnaldum accounting for 20 goals and assists between them.
The in-form attacking quintet present all kinds of problems for Jose Mourinho, who is yet to create the same chemistry at United. And while Klopp's side are ostensibly lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Mane and Coutinho on the flanks and Firmino through the middle, this is no ordinary set-up.
Klopp's players are not wedded to their positions. In fact, the German regards attacking flexibility as the key to their approach. Liverpool's forwards are encouraged to interchange positions when they are in possession. Firmino plays as a marauding false nine, and their fluid movement is difficult to stop.
"I don't think about it, to be honest," Klopp said when asked about Liverpool's formation during his recent appearance on Monday Night Football. "I don't think about us having a false nine or no nine or whatever it is. These players are all responsible for being in the opposition box."
When Liverpool move into the opposition half, their centre-backs are the only players told to hold their position. Klopp asks for another player to sit at the base of the midfield, but in his own words: "That can be a full-back or a midfielder, it's not too important. It's all about being flexible."
More often than not, it's Jordan Henderson who sits in front of the centre-backs, which allows full-backs Nathaniel Clyne and James Milner to join the attack. Their forward runs stretch the opposition and give Coutinho and Mane freedom to drift off the flanks and exploit the space infield.
Indeed, it's not just Liverpool's forwards United will have to watch out for. Clyne and Milner are integral to Klopp's attack, and the stats highlight their influence: the pair have had more touches and created more scoring chances than any other Premier League defenders.
By attacking at speed and in numbers, Liverpool have moved to the top of the Premier League rankings for goals scored and chances created. The likes of Lallana, Coutinho and Firmino are excellent technicians, and Mane's searing pace has added another dimension to their forward play.
The former Southampton man ripped through Arsenal's left flank for his first goal on the opening day of the season, and he beat Kasper Schmeichel for pace to set up Liverpool's fourth in their 4-1 win over Leicester. Those goals came from opposite flanks, highlighting the flexibility and variety he has added to the Reds' forward play.
Klopp's fluid system can be devastatingly effective, but it depends on defensive discipline. Klopp's players are required to work tirelessly to regain possession, and their commitment is shown by the fact that they have sprinted more times than any of their Premier League rivals this season.
"The problem is you lose the ball and everybody looks behind their back: 'Oh, I'm an offensive player, I don't defend, bring me the ball back,'" says Klopp. "That's what I loved in the first half versus Hull. We were flexible, we were all that and then it was really wild boys. I was happy in that moment with a few of the defensive situations."
Liverpool will need to strike the right balance again when they face Manchester United at Anfield, but it's Mourinho, not Klopp, who has the most to worry about ahead of Monday Night Football. Liverpool's fluid formation is a frightening proposition.
