Takumi Minamino can take on the role of a secret Liverpool weapon vs Manchester United on Sunday.
The January signing is unlikely to start at Anfield but his impact as a substitute could be devastating. A lot of that comes from sheer unpredictability.
Because Minamino has only made one appearance for Liverpool and it didn’t give us too much. He started as a centre-forward in the FA Cup against Everton – but that was far from a first-team.
While we know he can play there, one of the great things about Minamino is that he can play all across that front line. That’s where he can hurt United.
Minamino can offer something different in all of those roles. If he plays on the wing, he can work the channels and drift inside. If he plays in attacking midfield, Liverpool can use him and Roberto Firmino in between the lines. Then there’s that ‘false 9’ central role, too, should Firmino come off.
And Manchester City showed earlier this month how United struggle against that uncertainty. City played without a striker, instead using movement and interchanging positions to damage their rivals.
They raced into a 3-0 half-time lead and United had no answer for the uncertainty that several versatile players created. That’s the same kind of chaos that Liverpool can create for United with Minamino.
No matter where they use him, he will provide movement in the channels and between the lines. That by itself is a serious weapon to have on the bench.
But the fact that no one knows for certain where or how Liverpool will utilise that weapon makes Minamino very dangerous indeed.
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