‘They just hold everything together’: Neville says Klopp has three Liverpool players who are so key

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Gary Neville believes people overlook the true strength in the Liverpool team. The Reds boast a lot of talent right now.

What is the biggest strength in this Liverpool team? Is it their back four? They arguably have the world’s best centre-back, after all, while their full-backs are pretty unquestionably at the top of the game.

But maybe it’s the forwards? The Reds boast five elite attackers right now and we’re not sure anyone else in the world does.

Well, Gary Neville believes Liverpool actually show their true strength in midfield. If it wasn’t for their three world-class midfielders, none of the rest would be possible.

“People say that the midfield at Liverpool is maybe their weakness – I think it’s their strength,” he told The Overlap. “Because the back and the front are so exceptional. Those two full-backs are forward all the time, they’re up there, the three up front go up there.

“That three in midfield, because of their discipline and their subservient nature – Fabinho, Thiago and [Jordan] Henderson – their subservient nature to the rest of the players means they just hold everything together.”

Gary Neville on Liverpool

We think he’s absolutely right on this. Liverpool are an incredibly attacking team that necessitates players storming forward and vacating their positions. The midfield make that possible.

If the full-backs push high, the wider midfielders drift across to cover the gaps. They’ll do the same if the forwards wander inside and move into more attacking space if no one is dropping deep.

It’s an incredible system that sees Liverpool cover the pitch – but it only works with that ‘subservient nature’, as Neville puts it. Those midfielders must sacrifice for the team, plugging every gap at all times.

And it even goes beyond that. Liverpool rely on having all-action midfielders who can do a bit of everything. They’ll sit deep and play on the counter, they’ll work a possession game, they’ll win tackles, interceptions and win midfield battles.

That allows the forwards and full-backs to play in a way that suits them. It’s honestly the hallmark of this great Liverpool side – they can hurt you in every way. The midfield is the magic that makes that possible.