MY ACCOUNT
Last season Liverpool had no centre-backs — now they have an abundance of them.
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have all returned from long-term injuries without any setbacks, while Ibrahima Konate joined the Reds in their only big deal of the summer.
Boss Jurgen Klopp has juggled his central defensive pairings this season but Liverpool have been conceding more goals than they would like.
A win against Atletico Madrid tonight would guarantee them a place in the knockout phase of the Champions League — but who will the German tactician plump for at the heart of his defence?
The constant
Despite a long-term lay-off, Van Dijk is still considered by many to be the best centre-back in the world.
Liverpool have looked a lot more assured with him on the pitch and their defensive line in open play is once again ridiculously high.
Van Dijk, 30, is deceptively quick — in mind and body. He sets expectations for his team-mates and improves the performances of whoever starts alongside him.
Many believe Klopp will manage the former Southampton man’s minutes a little more this term and it is perhaps why he sat out the win over AC Milan on Champions League Matchday 1.
If Liverpool have already qualified, it is likely he will find himself on the bench again against the Italian giants in December.
But he is nailed on for the left-sided centre-back role in Liverpool’s best defensive pairing.
The new kid on the block
Klopp, as he has with so many in the past, allowed Konate to develop away from the glaring eye of the media.
The ex-RB Leipzig defender, 22, was given his debut at home to Crystal Palace in the middle of September and was then not seen again in the Premier League until the thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford.
He retained his place for the 2-2 draw with Brighton last weekend but did not have the best of matches. Although he was not directly culpable for either of the goals, he was caught out on a few occasions.
But Konate is a relatively young defender and experience will come with playing more matches — he is also still getting up to speed with the rigours of the Premier League.
The old kid on the block
Gomez played the majority of games alongside Van Dijk as Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for a title during the 2019-20 campaign.
He even forced his way into the England reckoning as a result of his fine form at the time.
And it was with the Three Lions — almost one year ago exactly — that Gomez suffered a season-ending injury.
The 24-year-old has yet to make a start in the Premier League this term, with the majority of his minutes coming in the Carabao Cup.
Klopp seems wary of using the versatile defender and recent reports have suggested Gomez is open to a move away in order to get more first-team football ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
It might just be a case of him being eased back — but right now it is obvious he is behind Konate and Matip in the pecking order.
Gomez has the pace but is lacking in the aerial department, winning just 60% of his aerial duels in the Premier League since the start of 2017-18 .
For context, Van Dijk has won 75% of his aerial duels in the same period, with Matip winning 71.5%. Even Konate, in his limited minutes for Liverpool, has won 76%.
Going under the radar
Matip’s biggest fan is Van Dijk — and if that does not tell you how good he is, nothing will.
Speaking earlier this season, he said: “All the centre-backs that we have at the moment, whether it is Joel or Ibou, we all understand each other quite well — and that’s very important on the pitch.
“Today was the same. Obviously, I know Joel, we’ve played together for a while now and we know our qualities and the things we can complement each other with.”
When fit, 30-year-old Matip seems to be the player Klopp will use until he next succumbs to injury.
The Liverpool boss wants to make the most of having the former Schalke man available, highlighting just how important he is to this team.
The best option for Liverpool
The faith placed in Konate by Klopp by starting him against United is intriguing.
The Frenchman can match Matip in the air and is just as quick as Gomez over 50 yards. He combines what both rivals are good at and rolls them up into one package.
In the short-term, he might not claim a regular starting spot alongside Van Dijk but he appears to be the ideal partner for the Dutchman in the long run
For now, the best pairing is the one Klopp uses on a regular basis — Van Dijk and Matip.
Expect to see them together in the must-win matches this season.
