Liverpool’s 2023/24 Premier League season begins in just over three weeks.
Chelsea are the opponents when Mauricio Pochettino takes over as manager for the first time, but Jurgen Klopp will be anxious to start the season in style and ruin the former Tottenham Hotspur manager’s start at Stamford Bridge.
As things stand, Klopp will have to make some huge decisions in his starting lineup, particularly up front, where he has a plethora of attacking alternatives.
ECHO journalists Ian Doyle and Joe Rimmer pick the following players to lead Liverpool’s attack:
Even people with the most fundamental comprehension of maths will recognize that five into three does not work. And this is the quandary that Jurgen Klopp is facing as he considers which front trio will lead the line against Chelsea in the Premier League opening and thereafter.
Of course, injuries, suspensions, different opponents, and dips in form mean Liverpool is well served by having numerous attacking alternatives. That’s before even considering Ben Doak’s claims, the 17-year-old winger who continues to amaze at whichever level he plays at.
The right flank position, though, seems secure, with Mohamed Salah being one of the Premier League’s greatest players and demonstrating against Karlsruher SC on Wednesday that he is still in the mood to demolish defenses this season.
The other two options, on the other hand, are less apparent. While Luis Diaz is mostly a left-winger, the triad of Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, and Diogo Jota can all play both wide and down the middle. And all three were on target on Wednesday in Germany.
Diaz is still looking for full sharpness after an extended layoff. Jota, who also had injury issues last season, appears to be closer to being match-ready, as indicated by his excellent finish to the season and two goals at the BBBank Wildpark stadium. Nunez opened the scoring and seemed much more comfortable connecting play, despite still displaying some of his usual mayhem, while Gakpo contributed significantly to the attack despite being put in a deeper midfield role.
However, the Dutchman is currently Liverpool’s best choice to lead the line – Roberto Firmino’s obvious successor as a false nine – leaving the remaining three to compete for the left flank position. And Jota’s current goal threat – the Portuguese has always been a’streaky’ scorer – means he edges Nunez out on the left. At least for the time being…
Rimmer, Joe: As Liverpool prepares for a new season, Jurgen Klopp has a slew of unanswered issues.
With the huge game against Chelsea coming up in just over three weeks, Klopp simply needs to decide out which formation to use, who will start as his number six, who the rest of the midfield will look like, and who will captain the team.
It’s the most significant period of upheaval since he took over as manager, and it means the Reds face a lot of unknowns in the coming weeks.
But one move Klopp will be delighted with is the composition of the front three, where he has a lot of options.
Mohamed Salah is a foregone conclusion, but all four of Klopp’s senior alternatives are vying for a starting spot. And that’s before we even get to Ben Doak, the wildcard.
Cody Gakpo appears to be Roberto Firmino’s natural replacement, therefore he should get the ball rolling. Then it’s either Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, or Darwin Nunez on the attack’s left flank. Jota appears to be a threat, but I’ve always favored him centrally and find him more dangerous off the bench.
Diaz is practically an automatic pick when he’s healthy and firing, but he doesn’t appear to be there yet.
As a result, I’d be tempted to infuse Nunez’s brand of havoc into that front three in the hope that he can get his season off to the greatest possible start.
