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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Richard Garnett

Michael Owen wonders if Jurgen Klopp is ‘brave enough’ to make Liverpool decision at Arsenal

Michael Owen thinks Jurgen Klopp could stick with the formation that beat Rangers in the Champions League on Tuesday evening when Liverpool travel to Arsenal on Sunday.

But the former Anfield striker accepts that it will be a brave decision should Klopp decide to match up against the Premier League leaders after an indifferent start to the Reds' season.

The Liverpool boss abandoned his long-established 4-3-3 formation against the Gers and instead opted for a 4-2-3-1 set-up with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah supporting Darwin Nunez as the focal point of the attack. The shake-up resulted in regular midfield starter Fabinho dropping to the bench.

READ MORE: Liverpool analysis - Jurgen Klopp finds new midfield option as bold change helps Mohamed Salah

READ MORE: 'Something more serious' - National media sound note of caution after Liverpool beat Rangers

In what was dubbed the 'Battle of Britain', the English side comfortably dispatched their Scottish visitors 2-0 and created a host of opportunities to extend their lead further throughout the match.

Speaking on BT Sport after the contest, Owen said: " I think he’ll maybe think about going again. Fabinho - I absolutely love the guy he’s brilliant - but he’s been one of the poorer players. But I do agree, I think it’s really brave to put four of them against an Arsenal team which are flying at the moment but that will give him confidence in terms of thinking for the future. He’s got that many good attacking players in his team, it’s just whether he’s brave enough."

Arsenal are currently riding high at the top of the table, a point ahead of Manchester City, with seven wins and one defeat from their first eight matches. Liverpool have a game in hand but are already 11 points adrift of Mikel Arteta's side. Owen's BT Sport colleague Rio Ferdinand is expecting Klopp to take a more defensively-minded approach to the one utilised to good effect against Rangers.

Ferdinand said: "I think Fabinho comes in and plays against Arsenal. In defensive positions in midfield, he’s fantastic, been a mainstay, so I don’t see him not coming in and playing. Having those four attacking players on the pitch tonight (against Rangers) was perfect. I think Arsenal is a completely different proposition and I think they won’t be able to play as freely and expansively as they did today."

Liverpool's league form has been underwhelming so far this campaign, with just two wins out of their first seven matches, bolstered by four draws.

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