The title race heats up in the Premier League for Liverpool as fellow arch-rivals Manchester United are level on points in the league table. The Reds of Liverpool will be eager to get all three points against Southampton this weekend as the Saints aren’t in great form. Jurgen Klopp will look to get in the much-needed changes in the side with Thiago available after his injury spell.
Liverpool have surprisingly failed to score the goals against minnows of the league table who have sat back and defended deep. Defensively they have looked shaky as well and are dearly missing Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Virgil Van Dijk who are out with injuries. Surely their will in changes in the side that faced Newcastle as Klopp will go for the kill against the Saints.
We take a look at how Jurgen Klopp might set his Liverpool side against struggling Southampton, this weekend in the Premier League.
THE 4-3-3
The 4-3-3 is the most likely system to be used by Jurgen Klopp this weekend against Southampton even though Liverpool have been poor in the recent past. The Reds haven’t been able to score goals and the Saints are likely to sit back and defend deep in their half. Klopp will have to find a way to break the opposition other than their general attack from the wings.
Thiago Alcantara changed the game against Newcastle as he lit up the Liverpool side with chances after coming off the bench after a long injury. The Spaniard will be expected to start the game this time around and should be responsible to keep the Reds ticking. He will also give Liverpool the stability in the midfield along with his creative passes and distribution.
The likes of Salah and Mane also have to take responsibility for scoring the goals as they have looked off-colour lately. Mo Salah especially has missed a couple of sitters in the last couple of games, which should have been Liverpool victories had he scored. The front-three of Liverpool need to come back to their scoring best or else the title challenge will only get tougher.
THE 4-2-3-1
The 4-2-3-1 might be another possibility that can be used to good effect against Southampton, who play a four-man midfield. The midfield pivot should be enough for Liverpool to control the midfield as the full-backs will play up the pitch, in the midfield. Wijnaldum and Thiago might make up the pivot as both the players complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Alexander-Arnold hasn’t been as effective and influential since his return from injury as he would have liked to be. The right-back provides Liverpool with the creativity down the flank and his poor form has coincided with the team’s lack of scoring goals. It seems that the Reds dearly miss Diogo Jota even though he was a signed this season, as he was constantly amongst the goals for Liverpool.
Klopp will be expected to mastermind Liverpool to victory, but lately, when it rains, it pours for the Reds and they will surely want to avoid a draw or a defeat against Southampton.
