The Red Evolution: How Klopp’s midfield makeover has given Liverpool new depth

A busy summer at Liverpool saw several players come and go, with captain Jordan Henderson and anchorman Fabinho headlining a mass exodus in midfield that also saw James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leave the club.

In came Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch. After 14 Premier League games, Jurgen Klopp’s side sit in second, one point above last season’s champions Manchester City and two behind Arsenal. Given the Reds’ previous in the competition under the German – they have won one league crown and competed until the final day twice – the prospect of another title challenge should feel in little doubt.

Questions have been raised, though, about the profile of Liverpool’s midfield, and whether they can go the distance without a ‘proper number six’. But are those reservations justified?

Starting with the attacking side, it’s clear to see Liverpool have made a big leap in midfield. Last season, Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, Keita and Thiago Alcantara all failed to score in the Premier League. Oxlade-Chamberlain, Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Elliott all found the net once while only Curtis Jones (three) was into the multiples. Those nine players only contributed to a combined eight assists, too.

Liverpool’s new-look midfield has already assisted four goals between them, and there has been a goal each for Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Endo. The latter pair scored their first Premier League goals in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Fulham, while Gravenberch has also scored twice in the Europa League.

Adding to the numbers is Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose hybrid role in the team has generated huge debate. He was named, on paper at least, as a traditional right-back against the Cottagers, before changes in the second half saw Joe Gomez operate on the right and the Liverpool vice-captain thrust into a marauding midfield role.

In truth, Alexander-Arnold is occupying more central positions even without the insurance of Gomez behind him, but Sunday’s winner saw him pick up the ball on the left-hand side of midfield before unleashing an unstoppable effort past Bernd Leno. Going forward, there are few doubts that they are a far more threatening side with the likes of Alexander-Arnold, Szoboszlai and Mac Allister patrolling the midfield.

What the previous occupants lacked in guile, though, they certainly made up for in grit and intensity. Henderson and Fabinho, in particular, were key cogs in the Liverpool midfield for several years, putting out fires while Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson flew down the flanks and fed the attacking trident of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. Klopp didn’t need his midfield to provide endless assists and goals – they served to cover the forwards and protect the defence.

What we’re seeing now is an evolution of this midfield under Klopp, one where players are comfortable with the ball in all areas. Henderson, Fabinho and Milner, for all their qualities, were never as accomplished or as slick in possession as Mac Allister.

Perhaps the closest player to the Argentine in Klopp’s famous midfield was Gini Wijnaldum, who evolved from an attacking midfielder at Newcastle United – almost a number 10 – to a relentless number eight and, at times, an effective number six. One of the Dutchman’s finest nights in red was the 2-1 win at Manchester City en route to the 2018 Champions League final, when he was thrust into a deeper-lying midfield position. Wijnaldum performed admirably against a star-studded City side, with his energy and enthusiasm matched by comfort in possession. 

Mac Allister doesn’t possess the physical attributes of Wijnaldum, as Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher alluded to on Sky Sports after a 1-1 draw at Luton Town in November. He said: “Mac Allister isn’t a top holding midfielder. He’s good on the ball in terms of receiving, but defensively, he finds it really tough and he lacks a bit of pace for that position.

“Liverpool are not ready to win the league. Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool supporters know that right now.

“They want to get back into the top four. In terms of challenging again, I think they need a holding midfielder and a top-class defender.”

The World Cup winner is secure in receiving the ball and turning in tight areas to open up other passing angles, though. The 24-year-old’s performance in the 1-1 draw at the Etihad last month was reminiscent of Wijnaldum, as he completed 93% of his passes and helped his side to keep possession in the face of relentless pressure. Liverpool’s failed summer pursuit of Mac Allister’s former teammate Moises Caicedo suggests that Klopp isn’t completely sold on the idea that his number 10 will remain as a six forever. But the Reds boss is adamant that he is aiding, and not hindering, their chances of success this season.

Klopp said last month: “Is Macca a natural-born six? No. Did football develop in the last years in directions we couldn’t imagine before? Yes. Does that mean that a player like Macca can play the six? Definitely.

“It depends on how the whole team defends. Easy as that. If we do that properly then we have an incredible player in a central position who can find passes, a forward-thinking player.”

Another conundrum for Klopp has been who to play on the left-hand side of midfield. Mac Allister and Szoboszlai are locked in, but neither Jones nor Gravenberch have fully nailed down the final position.

Jones ended last season in impressive form and has started in five of his six Premier League appearances this term, but injuries and suspension have prevented him from adding to that tally, and after Gravenberch’s driving run helped Liverpool equalise at the Etihad, the 21-year-old summer signing from Bayern Munich was picked ahead of Jones at the weekend. Gravenberch ended up playing more minutes than Mac Allister and Szoboszlai against Fulham, while Jones stayed rooted to the bench. That’s something which likely pleased a vocal minority of online fans, who have repeatedly questioned the inclusion of the Reds academy graduate.

In truth, criticism of Jones has been, for the most part, wildly unfair. The 22-year-old has performed admirably for his boyhood club since breaking through the ranks, with a number of unfortunate absences stunting his progress somewhat. Comfortable on the ball and able to keep possession, Jones has upped his defensive awareness recently, too, and these are all traits which may make him more valuable against lower-ranked teams, such as Fulham on Sunday, when Liverpool need more patience and control. Gravenberch, meanwhile, may be more suitable as a starter against higher-level opposition, like City, where there is more space to run through midfield.

Clearly, there are still unanswered questions over Liverpool’s midfield, and the exact make-up of it. But after nine wins and just one defeat – a hugely controversial one against Tottenham Hotspur – from their first 14 Premier League games, are those questions big enough to rule them out of serious consideration for the title?

City and Arsenal went head-to-head for England’s ultimate prize last season, and that probably justifies their tags as favourite (4/6) and second-favourite (7/2), respectively, this time around. Klopp’s side are fancied just behind Arsenal at 9/2, but they are not alone in having doubts raised about them.

Arsenal’s attack has come under the microscope, while Pep Guardiola’s side have shipped nine goals in their last four games. For all the talk of control in their midfield, the reigning champions have conceded two more than their Merseyside rivals.

So, yes, Liverpool have chinks in their armour. Mac Allister isn’t a Javier Mascherano regen, Szoboszlai isn’t the second coming of Steven Gerrard, and Jones isn’t the Toxteth Xabi Alonso.

But all three have individual qualities that they bring to Klopp’s team, and if they can get Thiago and Bajcetic back on the pitch, there is even scope to raise the side’s technical and defensive ceiling.

At this stage of the season, Liverpool are bona-fide Premier League title contenders, and with a packed festive schedule, the wealth of options they now possess in midfield is a reason to back them to go the distance, rather than discount them.