‘A big move’: Carragher and Neville both thought Liverpool had to change vs City today

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Both Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher backed Liverpool changes v Man City today. Jurgen Klopp kept things as they were, however.

There was plenty of talk around Jurgen Klopp’s big decisions against Manchester City. Would he stick with the 4-4-2? It’s a makeshift formation built purely out of necessity, after all. And could a Liverpool team that leaks goals actually keep Erling Haaland quiet?

Those were the questions Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher pondered ahead of kick-off. The two pundits felt the answer to both was the same – change.

“We know that Liverpool concede a lot of their goals this season down that side where Trent Alexander-Arnold or [Joel] Matip or [Joe] Gomez have been,” said Neville on Sky Sports.

“And I wondered whether today, with Andy Robertson back in at left-back, whether actually, with De Bruyne’s crosses from this right-hand side into that area where [James] Milenr and Gomez are, wether Virgil van Dijk should switch to that right-hand side.

“I know that’s quite a big move but it has happened in the past where the dominant centre-back switched. I do think Liverpool have to try something like that today [against Haaland].”

Carragher wanted a more routine change – back to the 4-3-3 that Liverpool have played for seven years under Klopp.

“Against City, I do hope it’s a 4-3-3 and the big question for me is how Liverpool set up,” he said.

Liverpool changes v Man City

Klopp, of course, did neither. He kept Elliott on the right of the 4-4-2, making it a little more 4-3-3 at times but on the whole, this was the exact same system that Liverpool have played over the last three games.

That was a big decision from Klopp. This isn’t the formation he built the squad for – it’s simply something he gave a go when nothing else worked. But he stuck with it against a team that hasn’t lost all season and that utterly destroy opponents.

That’s faith in your side. Faith that paid off in a big way – Liverpool were fantastic here. Playing Mohamed Salah centrally made a world of difference, it has to be said, but the Reds were defensively sound, lightening going forward and looked more like one of the world’s best sides.

Klopp took a risk – one that few would have. His team delivered with their best all-around performance of the season.