Jurgen Klopp only really has to worry about his midfield to face Manchester United but it’s a difficult decision. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is surely the answer to his problem, though.
The defence for Sunday picks itself – Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, and Andy Robertson. The attack does the same with the usual suspects there, too.
The midfield to face United, however, is a tough one for Klopp. There’s no Naby Keita or James Milner which makes maybe makes things a little easier. Even that’s debatable, though.
It will really come down to Fabinho’s fitness. If he’s absolutely raring to go, he’ll surely start in midfield alongside Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum. We think that’s unlikely, though.
Henderson and Winjnaldum are virtual certainties but who sits alongside them? The obvious choice is Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Now, we didn’t think Oxlade-Chamberlain took his chance against Tottenham Hotspur. He didn’t really affect the game and came out of it looking like a lesser option than Adam Lallana.
But he still makes the most sense to face United.
We can be fairly certain how United will play. They’ll sit back, defend for most of the game and try to hit Liverpool on the break. The Reds will have lots of the ball and in that sense, the more attacking players the better.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s pace and drive could be key, then. He can run at United’s midfield and push them as far back as they’ll go. He can drift wide to allow Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to cut inside. And perhaps most importantly, his ability to score from outside the box would be a brilliant threat.
There’s also something else to consider – the game against Wolves in midweek looks tougher. Liverpool could use Lallana more in that game, especially his pressing against their midfield. He also created the winner against them last month.
As Lallana won’t be able to start both, it’s best to save him for that one anyway. The fact that Oxlade-Chamberlain can threaten United is just a very happy bonus.
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