After a humiliating defeat in the Premier League at the hands of Premier League title challengers Manchester City, Liverpool need to bounce back strong. But the defending champions have to travel to the home of Leicester City where they meet their old boss, Brendan Rodgers. Leicester City have been the high flyers in the league this season once again under Rodgers, who has drilled the side very well.
Jurgen Klopp has had a bad relationship with the media in the recent past and it seems that Liverpool’s has affected him badly. But despite all the negativity in and around the Reds, the team will look to hit back in the right frame of mind against Leicester City. Who knows what Klopp might have under his sleeve to inspire Liverpool to get all three points from Leicester?
Let us now have a look at how Jurgen Klopp might set his Liverpool side against Brendan Rodgers and his Foxes side in the Premier League.
THE 4-3-3
The 4-3-3 is Liverpool’s most famous and most effective system under Jurgen Klopp, who has had a tough time this season in the Premier League. The defending champions were unbelievable last season and it has come back to haunt them with several key players injured this season. The defence will again see changes against Leicester City as Fabinho is injured and is likely to be replaced by Phillips or new signing Kabak.
The midfield will again be the same most probably with Gini Wijnaldum, Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones as the three. Liverpool barely have anyone challenging these three in a midfield spot, even though the results haven’t gone in the Reds’ favour. Thiago again will be under severe scrutiny as he hasn’t really turned it up in the Premier League as it was expected of him.
The likes of Firmino and Sadio Mane have also under-performed this season, as their goal-contributions have been in patches and not in abundance. Salah needs someone to carry the burden of scoring goals along with him to take Liverpool back to their best.
THE 4-2-3-1
Diogo Joto’s comeback just doesn’t seem to come in time for Liverpool as he is trying hard to get back to full fitness after his injury. The 4-2-3-1 thrived with Jota playing as the striker with Salah on the right flank, giving Liverpool a whole new dimension. But with the arsenal of players he has at his disposal, Klopp is likely to start with Shaqiri in such a system.
The midfield pivot has done well for Liverpool as it gives the side a good shape, better balance and attacking freedom to the full-backs. The likes of Robertson and Alexander-Arnold have come to life in the past few games and might give the Reds and edge over Brendan Rodgers and his Leicester City side. The centre-back pairing will be a worry for the Reds though as the Foxes have Vardy’s blistering pace up front, who will look to tame the Reds’ backline.
The game should be a rollicking encounter for the neutrals, but for the Kop faithful it will be a game to get back parity and respect after the Manchester City humiliation.
