Jurgen Klopp refused to confirm whether Liverpool would permanently return to playing in a 4-3-3 formation after beating Napoli 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Late goals from substitute Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah saw the Reds finish the Champions League group-stages with a win, though not one big enough to usurp the Italians as Group A winners.
The Uruguayan was one of four players to drop out of Klopp’s starting XI, but made an immediate impact off the bench as helped create Salah’s opener before scoring Liverpool’s second with the last kick of the game.
And Klopp revealed that despite the Reds switching formation a number of times in recent weeks in response to their poor form, it was never far away from their minds.
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“It is the system we played most often and the system which is familiar to us,” the German told reporters. “When we played well, we can defend really well in that system.
“We didn’t do that that often when we played it recently. That’s why we had to change a couple of things, give the boys some new things to think about.
“It is always on the table for us but doesn’t mean we will now play it all the time. Darwin came on and especially offensively it’s not a problem. There’s no difference to a diamond really. But defensively it is a big difference.
“We have just to figure out what is best for us and which players are playing. Curtis did extremely well. Fabio and Oxlade, we have a couple of players who can play there. No decision made.
“We will see against Tottenham but it was never off the table, this system. It was just we had to change a bit to give ourselves a new impulse and feel the defending in a new way. That’s sometimes how it works.
“We had some good games in the other system, especially in the Champions League as well where we played really well in the 4-4-2 for example.
“That is the only positive thing what happened so far in the season. That we played well and won in different systems. Not often enough but at least a couple of times.”
Klopp was also delighted with Nunez’s impact from the bench and praised Curtis Jones further, utilised in a new role on the left, as he explained his reasoning behind his starting XI.
“In these games it was not a game for massive rotation because of the situation,” he said. “But a little bit we had to and that is why we didn’t start all three. We had to see how we get through a game.
“Curtis did really well in an unfamiliar position for him. Did really well, was involved in the game and then we could bring on a fresh player with the quality of Darwin is really helpful so very happy with that.”
The one downer on Liverpool’s night was losing James Milner to injury early in the second half, with Klopp admitting the Reds don’t yet know what the issue is with their vice-captain.
“Don’t know, don’t know,” he said. “He seems to be fine now but we probably have to do further checks I assume.”
Meanwhile, Klopp insisted he had no preference regarding who his side could be drawn against in the Champions League round-of-16 draw next week, with FC Porto and Bayern Munich already guaranteed options, and Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain both currently leading their respective groups with one game left to play.
“We are not in dream land. I know,” he said. “In the moment, I couldn’t care really. I can wait until Monday.”
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