Jurgen Klopp showed off his new Liverpool playing style with a 51st-minute moment against Fulham on Saturday. It’s one that worked.
Liverpool didn’t play well against Fulham – at all, actually – but that isn’t to say we didn’t learn some positive things. One that really stick out came in the 51st minute.
Thiago picked up an injury and had to go off. The obvious change there, then, was to simply bring on a midfielder but Liverpool don’t actually have any other midfielders like the Spaniard. Especially with Naby Keita out ill.
Jurgen Klopp opted to Harvey Elliott – a far more attacking player who looks to drift wide or play between the lines. Now, that kind of movement isn’t something Liverpool have typically played with under Klopp. He usually has Roberto Firmino dropping deep to create that link between midfield and attack, rather than having a midfielder do it.
But with Elliott playing that way, Klopp decided to go all-out on a new playing style. Off went Firmino and on came Darwin Nunez. With that, we see the new Liverpool.
New Liverpool playing style
Nunez doesn’t attempt to drop deep and link with midfield. Instead, he pushes forward against defenders, offering a constant out-ball. The result of that is centre-backs needing to sit a little deeper – and that stretches the space between their defensive lines.
Elliott thrives in such a space, as do Fabio Carvalho and Curtis Jones. They want attackers in front of them who push on, offering a run to find but mainly just occupying defenders and making things easier for attacking midfielders.
Klopp clearly recognised this as he felt bringing on Elliott necessitated bringing on Nunez, too. At the very least, he thought the player who could benefit most from having an attacking midfielder out there was the Uruguayan.
He was right, of course. Nunez would score 13 minutes later. It was his run and ‘pass’ that created Mohamed Salah’s goal, too. Liverpool were able to stretch the game more and find that space between the lines easier with Nunez out there.
This is something we thought Klopp would lean into this season. Liverpool have three young playmakers and Nunez himself only just turned 23. The future is in this playing style, with no.10s looking to feed a physical, all-action striker.
And judging on Saturday’s evidence, that future could be very bright.
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