Jamie Carragher admits he is ‘worried’ for Liverpool when they take on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday.
’s side are already 11 points behind the Gunners who have won all but one of their opening eight games of the season, sat a point ahead of .
Liverpool’s once impregnable defence has shown signs of vulnerability, conceding the first goal in nine of their last 11 league matches.
Klopp tweaked his system midweek, using a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring four recognised attackers in Diogo Jota, , Luis Diaz and as the Reds eased to a 2-0 win over Rangers.
While the change paid dividends in the Champions League, Carragher fears it could be a ‘risky’ approach at the Emirates against Mikel Arteta’s side.
‘Perhaps it is misplaced pessimism, but I am worried about Liverpool’s chances on Sunday,’ he wrote for .
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.’
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