Liverpool have made a fantastic start to this campaign after winning their first six matches in the Premier League before being held to a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Reds will now turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League and try to conjure up a win away from home versus Napoli in midweek.
Jurgen Klopp’s men managed to secure a majestic victory at the expense of Paris Saint-Germain last month which has given the Merseyside club an ideal platform to earn passage through to the next round of the competition. However, they would need to put up a good display away at Naples on Wednesday night which is easier said than done.
Here are three tactical changes Klopp could make to outwit Carlo Ancelotti’s team at the Stadio San Paolo.
Start Naby Keita In Place Of Georginio Wijnaldum
Wijnaldum has started most of Liverpool’s matches under Klopp this season. However, the Dutchman needs to be rested if he wants to keep up his outstanding work ethic on a weekly basis. Hence, bringing back Naby Keita into the Reds midfield seems like the right option for the Liverpool boss as the Guinean talent works hard in midfield and offers much more than Wijnaldum going forward.
Keita could be the ideal man to exploit the defensive weaknesses of the Napoli midfield and is expected to link up well with Sadio Mane down the left flank.
Go With A 4-2-3-1 Formation To Counter Napoli’s 4-4-2
The Reds have often lined up in a 4-3-3 formation under Klopp this season. However, the German manager could choose to opt for a 4-2-3-1 set-up so that he can effectively use Mohamed Salah’s pace up top. The likes of Sadio Mane and Keita could run the channels while Roberto Firmino can operate more centrally in a creative role.
Play Roberto Firmino In The Number 10 Position
The Brazilian attacker has already shown in recent weeks that he has an eye for a killer pass in the final third. The Reds have often lacked the cutting edge from midfield which is why Firmino should play as an attacking midfielder in midweek and create opportunities for his teammates going forward.
He can flourish with some more creative freedom in the opposition half but only if Salah and Mane can offer him suitable openings by running behind the Napoli defence.
