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Former England defender Jamie Carragher has explained how Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool could line up against Arsenal in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
It goes without saying that the Merseysiders have been far from their best in recent weeks, winning just two of their last five games across all competitions. Meanwhile, Arsenal will enter this weekend's fixture in better form after winning four of their last five games across all fronts.
Jamie Carragher has admitted that he's worried about the Reds' chances against the Gunners. Highlighting how vulnerable their defense has been in recent matches, the Englishman wrote in his column for the Telegraph:
"For the first time in seven years, Klopp is seeking a new formula to suit a squad which seems to have lost the capacity to play his preferred 4-3-3. There have been too many examples of Liverpool being wide open, with massive spaces between midfielders leaving the back four unprotected, making the high line so vulnerable."
Carragher continued:
"Klopp’s greatest victories at Liverpool have come when his team make the pitch smaller, his players able to hunt in packs of two, three or four to pin their opponent in their own half, chances created by winning possession in the final third."
Jurgen Klopp switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the 2-0 victory over Rangers in the Champions League on Tuesday (October 4). Carragher believes that adopting such a system against Arsenal would be risky. He wrote:
"The change to 4-2-3-1 against Rangers was an attempt to restore that by including an extra attacker with the energy to press high, while his holding midfielders Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara took on more orthodox, fixed central positions."
"Klopp succeeded in making it difficult for Rangers to play through Liverpool's zones as Brighton did so well last weekend when it looked like Fabinho was the only midfielder offering a defensive shield."
Carragher continued:
"Given the profile of Liverpool’s wide attackers, Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz, the danger is it looks more like 4-2-4. It feels risky to go that way at the Emirates, although Klopp used the same strategy to good effect away at Manchester City two years ago."
"He and Arteta want to be on the front foot, asserting control. It makes them vulnerable to each others’ strengths."
Where are Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League table right now?
As things stand, Arsenal are leading the race for the Premier League title with 21 points in eight games. Arteta's men have recorded seven wins and one draw in the English top flight so far, scoring 21 goals and conceding just eight.
Meanwhile, the Merseysiders occupy the ninth position in the table with 10 points from seven games after winning two, drawing four and losing one game so far.
