Watch Liverpool vs Arsenal in the Carabao Cup fourth round live from 7pm on Sky Sports Football on Wednesday; kick-off at 7.30pm
Wednesday 30 October 2019 18:44, UK
Fabinho. Georginio Wijnaldum. Jordan Henderson. Since the final weeks of last season and into this campaign, Jurgen Klopp's go-to midfield has been clear. But could that be about to change?
That trio started in Sunday's 2-1 win over Tottenham, where Henderson slotted home a vital equaliser, and have now begun seven of Liverpool's 10 Premier League matches this season.
After a gentle introduction, Fabinho has become one of the Premier League's leading defensive midfielders, while, ahead of him, Henderson and Wijnaldum - described by Klopp as the "perfect midfielder" - provide the industry and energy to implement the intensive pressing demanded by their manager.
So why could a shake-up be on the cards? The answer lies with fit-again Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.
On the back of a frustrating draw at Manchester United, which saw Liverpool struggle to open up their determined rivals, the more creative duo of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita stepped into Henderson and Wijnaldum's shoes ahead of Fabinho for the Champions League trip to Genk last Wednesday.
It was an attacking set-up that had Liverpool supporters purring on social media ahead of kick-off and the pair impressed, with the Reds' play running through Keita as he recorded a huge 140 touches, while Oxlade-Chamberlain put his extended injury layoff behind him with two superb strikes against their albeit limited opposition.
It may seem overly critical to scrutinise the Premier League leaders' attacking play, given their brilliant start to the season, but creativity from midfield has emerged as something of a question mark.
Liverpool's last five Premier League results have swung on one goal and after their near-relentless battle for the title with Manchester City last season, Klopp knows the margin for error this time around is likely to be extremely fine.
Currently, Wijnaldum and Henderson's attacking figures are something of a concern. The pair have managed just one goal each so far, but while they can argue the onus on finding the net lies with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane ahead of them, their supply to that frontline is low.
Wijnaldum has created just one chance from open play in the Premier League this season. Henderson has managed two. They've mustered one clear-cut opening between them and neither has an assist to their name in this season's top flight.
Henderson's passing accuracy of 72.7 per cent in the opposition half suggests wastefulness in possession without a cutting edge, while centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip have advanced the ball into the final third more times than Henderson or Wijnaldum this season.
Those stats strengthen the case for Oxlade-Chamberlain and/or Keita being handed more minutes in the Premier League.
But their attacking contributions against Genk were not the full story. In the first half, in particular, Genk created several big chances of their own on the counter-attack, as they took advantage of spaces left by the advancing Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain.
No team has a better defensive record in the Premier League this season than Liverpool - and that owes plenty to the control Henderson, Wijnaldum and Fabinho bring to the middle of the pitch. That control was absent in Belgium, with Fabinho unable to cover Genk's attacks on his own.
Control vs creativity. That is the billing for this battle for midfield minutes at Anfield. But football isn't that simple - and Liverpool have a variety - and many - tests coming up.
Ahead of their clash with Tottenham, Klopp said his Liverpool side were facing their 'hardest period', and their Carabao Cup tie with Arsenal on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports, kicks off a run of at least 16 games in 65 days through to their home match with Sheffield United on January 2.
That's an average of one game every four days, taking in the Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup and World Club Cup.
From form to fatigue to different levels of opposition, there will be a range of factors driving Klopp's team selection during this period, with the need to rotate and meet different challenges sure to see that tried and trusted midfield trio mixed up.
The real challenge for Klopp will be ensuring that the combination of control and creativity are at the right levels. That Liverpool have the incision of players such as Oxlade-Chamberlain when they come up against mean defences and that they have the security of Henderson and Wijnaldum when opponents have the tools to hurt them.
Adam Lallana and James Milner will also have something to offer over the coming months. Liverpool certainly have options.
"We have got a lot of good midfielders and we've got different players that can do different things," Henderson said after the win over Spurs.
"I suppose that's good for the manager because it'll depend on certain games and certain teams that we're playing and who fits that particular game. But I feel as though we're all performing to a high level, and we've just got to continue pushing each other in training and in games."
Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has ruled Joel Matip out of the Carabao Cup fourth-round tie against Arsenal but refused to speculate on a potential return date for the defender.
Matip missed the 2-1 win over Tottenham on Sunday after aggravating a knee injury against Manchester United earlier this month.
Lijnders confirmed the 28-year-old, who recently signed a new five-year deal at Anfield, has not recovered in time to face Arsenal on Wednesday.
Liverpool are also without midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, but Salah will be available despite receiving ankle treatment against Tottenham.
Irish youngster Caoimhin Kelleher will start in goal after making his debut for Liverpool in the third-round win over MK Dons.
Harvey Elliott is also set to be included in the matchday squad after serving a two-week FA ban for using derogatory language in a video mocking Harry Kane on social media.
There will be two Carabao Cup games live on Sky Sports on Wednesday. Liverpool host Arsenal - live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm; Kick-off 7.30pm - while Man Utd visit Chelsea - live on Sky Sports Main Event, also from 7pm; Kick-off 8.05pm.
Soccer Special will also be live from 7.30pm on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Premier League, with live blog coverage across Sky Sports' digital platforms from 6.30pm. There will also be free highlights of each game available after full-time.
