Liverpool coach Arne Slot wants to search out solutions for midfield questions

Liverpool have had a tricky couple of weeks, grabbing a fortunate win after getting completely outplayed in Paris, needing a second-half response to beat Premier League bottom-dwellers Southampton, shedding at house to PSG, and ultimately getting crushed by Newcastle within the Carabao Cup remaining.

Like in each case of serial issues, figuring out the frequent denominator is the important thing, and in terms of the Merseysiders’ worrying pattern, it largely comes all the way down to repeatedly shedding midfield battles.

Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai definitely boast appreciable soccer high quality, however the mixture of Sandro Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes has what it takes to make that high quality keep quiet in a sport. Writing for The Occasions a day earlier than the Carabao Cup remaining, former Liverpool and Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez mentioned the sport would largely rely on the best way the Magpies trio would do in a the center of the park. Because it occurred, the Spaniard’s phrases have been confirmed true – Tonali, Joelinton and Guimaraes all put in a powerful bodily effort and overpowered their Liverpool counterparts.

The impact was there for everybody to see. Liverpool struggled to get going, to get the ball far up the pitch, and even after they did so, they nonetheless couldn’t make something occur. Aside from one first rate likelihood the place Nick Pope denied substitute Curtis Jones, they by no means precipitated any issues for the Newcastle goalkeeper. It’s actually telling when somebody like Mohamed Salah, taking part in arguably the season of his profession with 54 objective involvements in 42 matches throughout all competitions going into this one, fails to take a single shot.

Physicality additionally served Eddie Howe’s aspect properly on the different finish of the pitch, the place the 6’7” Dan Burn delivered a superbly positioned header to attain the opening objective, and Jacob Murphy overpowered Andy Robertson within the air to help Alexander Isak for the second.

Liverpool have identified such approaches to thwart their efforts earlier than, going many years again, beneath numerous managers, together with the likes of Kenny Dalglish and Jurgen Klopp.

There appear to be two potential methods to deal with this downside. One can be to signal extra bodily gamers within the upcoming switch window and go toe-to-toe with opponents who use such ways. The opposite can be to try to elevate the present, technical midfield method to such a degree the place the opposition’s physicality gained’t be making a distinction anymore, by signing gamers with extra creativity and aptitude on the ball.

Figuring out gamers who can do each would, in fact, be preferrred, and till the summer time of 2023, Liverpool had such a participant in Fabinho. The Brazilian’s presence in the course of the park was essential to the 2019 Champions League triumph and the ending of the 30-year look forward to the Premier League title the next 12 months. Nonetheless, such gamers aren’t straightforward to search out lately – simply ask Manchester Metropolis, who haven’t been capable of cope with out Rodri this time period.

Liverpool must discover a long-term formulation to resolve this puzzle in the summertime, however there are extra pressing challenges to get via. Their subsequent downside can be metropolis rivals Everton, and there’s little or no doubt that the Blues, beneath David Moyes, will go for bodily domination in the course of the park once more, simply as they did when the 2 sides met for the Goodison Park’s remaining Merseyside Derby in February.

Slot’s crew now have 12 factors greater than second-placed Arsenal within the Premier League desk, and getting that race over the road as quickly as potential would be the solely factor on their minds at this level. The plain silver lining from dropping out of the Champions League and the FA Cup, in addition to the Carabao Cup being over, is that it ought to be simpler for the Reds to give attention to the league and get it carried out.

Everton will, nonetheless, see it as their best mission to forestall their neighbours from getting again to the proper monitor.