New Liverpool formation set for first proper test as key Jürgen Klopp piece may miss Southampton

Jürgen Klopp has embraced a new look over the past two months. At the beginning of April, the German coach decided to move away from his customary 4-3-3 formation at Anfield, instructing his players to adopt a new shape whenever possession was under control.

Liverpool has formed a 3-2-5 arrangement across the last nine matches and since that change, the Reds remain unbeaten. Seven wins and two draws have been picked up by Klopp’s men, with a whole host of players experiencing an upturn in form on an individual level.

In basic terms, the new offensive blueprint consists of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold making inverted movements into the middle of the field to play next to Fabinho. Number eights Curtis Jones and Jordan Henderson then push higher up toward the final third, and left-back Andy Robertson tucks inside to form a back three with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté.

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Indeed, the latter is a key cog within the system. The French center-back is occupying a very demanding role from match to match, as he’s being expected to cover wide open spaces due to Alexander-Arnold’s new-found tendency to roam into the center of the pitch.

Konaté has been an integral star within the confines of Klopp’s new setup, largely due to his remarkable pace, as he’s one of the fastest players in the Liverpool squad. Once coupling his speed with his size — standing around 1.94m tall — it becomes apparent that he’s equipped to deal with the large majority of opponents without support.

The Reds defender is a monster when engaging in one-on-one duels with the trickiest opponents, which explains why he’s suited to playing on the right-side of Klopp’s new back three. Alexander-Arnold often leaves him isolated due to his midfield movements, but Liverpool hasn’t suffered because Konaté has coped just fine despite the excessive burden on his shoulders.

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This weekend, however, Klopp’s 3-2-5 could be set for an acid test of sorts. Liverpool is scheduled to face Southampton in the last game of the Premier League campaign on Sunday afternoon, but it seems Konaté could miss the bout due to illness. “Darwin [Núñez] trained yesterday, Ibou was ill and Robbo felt something in his groin, but the rest should be alright,” said Klopp in his pre-match press conference.

It remains to be seen who would be deployed in his place if he did indeed miss the upcoming clash against the Saints, but it is reasonable to suggest that his absence could have quite an impact on the functionality of the 3-2-5. Without Konaté sweeping up behind Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool could encounter defensive issues.

“I think it makes sense that we make changes, to get fresh players on the pitch, and players who want to show something,” said Klopp in his Friday morning conference, which suggests that Joe Gomez could be presented with an opportunity to impress. The English defender has barely featured for the Reds this year, but given his speed in particular, he could be worth testing as a Konaté alternative.

The French international will leave big boots to fill if he’s forced to miss out, but Gomez is due a good performance in a red shirt. It certainly isn’t an easy role to fulfill but considering Liverpool has nothing at stake this weekend, perhaps the experiment would be worth Klopp’s time.

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Rumour Mongering: Burnley Keen On Carvalho Signing

Burnley is looking to solidify their Premier League place after winning the Championship division this year. They’re no longer Sean Dyche’s boring Burnley, now they’re completely reinvented under manager Vincent Kompany. A report from Football Insider suggests that one of the players they are looking to sign, either on loan or permanently, is Liverpool’s Fabio Carvalho.

The young Portuguese attacker joined the Reds last summer from Fulham for £7.7 million. His Liverpool career started very brightly when he scored a 98th minute winner against Newcastle United. But as the season wore on the 20-year-old he couldn’t break into the team. He ended his 2022-23 season with 3 goals in about 640 minutes.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp suggested in his press conference on Friday that the youngster could use a season on loan with consistent playing time after Carvalho after enduring “not the best year” of his young career.

As mentioned, Burnley is a completely revolutionized side from the team that many Premier League fans are used to. Kompany plays an attacking style, leading Burnley to 101 points and the Championship title this season.