Liverpool have been urged to unleash Thiago Alcantara in a new role against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp's side head into this game on the back of a much-needed victory over Rangers in midweek, which saw the Reds' boss move away from his favoured 4-3-3 formation in favour of a new system.
Jordan Henderson and Thiago served as the deep-lying midfielders, with Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz supporting Darwin Nunez in attack. This change in approach appeared to pay off for Liverpool on the night, though it remains to be seen whether the German will put it to the test once again this weekend.
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Sharing his view on what Klopp should do, former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol believes Thiago should be deployed in a more advanced role to bring the best out of his game.
"100 per cent [Klopp could play Fabinho over Thiago against Arsenal],” Nicol told ESPN. “If he is thinking that way then, well the thing is he might play Thiago in front of those two though.
"So then what you have got with Thiago is somebody who is trying to do a bit of defending as well, but someone who is going to play a pass forward. You might find that if he does do that [play two in midfield], I don’t think he will.
"I absolutely don’t think he will do that but if he does, then he will probably play Thiago in front of them to supply the other three, whether it’s the two wide of him and one up top. But I don’t think he will, he’s not going to play two he will play three in the middle.”
Arsenal head into Sunday's meeting as favourites to beat Liverpool for the first time in a number of years given the contrasting starts to the new season both teams have endured. Three points would see the Gunners stretch their points advantage over the Reds to 14, a scenario Nicol insists would end any hopes of the title heading to Merseyside.
“If they lose this weekend they won’t win the title, I’ll say that. Right now as bad as things are looking, I think it’s a little early to start thinking about not being in the top four. They can turn things around just as quickly as they have gone astray. I am sure of that," he said.
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