Szoboszlai? gackpo? McAllister? Choose Liverpool’s starting lineup at Chelsea

A new season for Liverpool begins with some familiar question marks: what to do in midfield and which system suits the players available to Jurgen Klopp?

The German team for the trip to Stamford Bridge is very different from the one that visited in April, but the question now is how best to use those resources.

Our experts give their verdict on who they think should start in West London. Let us know your favorite starting XI in the comments below…

James Pearce

Liverpool’s failure to sign new midfielder leaves Jurgen Klopp with a big decision to make before the game at Stamford Bridge.

It has been a month since it became clear that captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were headed to Saudi Arabia, but the club’s surprise attempt to sign Moises Caicedo, and their protracted pursuit of Romeo Lafia from Southampton, have yet to yield rewards.

With neither Stefan Bagcetic nor Thiago match fit having only returned to training this week after long-term injuries, Klopp did not have the specialist No. 6 to start against Chelsea.

Where is he heading? Alexis Mac Allister played there in the last friendly against Darmstadt and I would like to see him build confidence in that role so that gap in the squad can be filled. He’s a World Cup winner and has experience playing deeper for Brighton, albeit usually when he had Caicedo in the company.

With Klopp ready to stick with the 3-box-3 system he used at the end of last season, I’ve chosen Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones to fill the more advanced midfield positions.

A more obvious back four choice with Andy Robertson on the left, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk in the middle, and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the hybrid role, operating as a right-back out of possession and then stepping into midfield when Liverpool. They build attacks.

At the top of the field I would start Cody Gakow through the middle with Luis Diaz and Mo Salah on either side.

I played with Jones being dropped, Gakpo selected in midfield and then Diogo Jota appointed as a central striker but I think that would be too bold for Chelsea. Jota and Darwin Nunez would be great options off the bench.

Greg Evans

This match will be different from the goalless draw at Stamford Bridge four months ago when the precarious state of both teams was highlighted.

But since then, Liverpool’s move to a new look system has helped inject new life into a struggling team.

The back line, along with goalkeeper Alisson, is indisputable with the only real question about Alexander-Arnold and his progress in the hybrid role between right-back and carrying midfield.

New captain Van Dijk should partner Konate with Robertson on the left and the safer – if not entirely safe – option would look like starting with Jones in sixth.

That leaves five more starting positions with seven realistic options to choose from in addition to Ben Doc, who is emerging as a player with real potential to get minutes off the bench this season.

A reasonable suggestion is to leave Szoboszlai out and slowly put him on the team. Mac Allister is already ready to pick up the pace in the Premier League, so playing him alongside Gakpo – who has been tested in an advanced central role – with Diaz, Jota and Salah as attackers looks like the plan.

Liverpool’s strongest strength this season will be their attackers.

Andy Jones

While I wish I could field either Caicedo or Lafia in the number six spot against Chelsea, Klopp has little choice in who he lines up in that role.

It’s between Mac Allister and Jones, and I’ll pick the former. He is a responsible and calm footballer with experience playing this position in the Premier League. That doesn’t take anything away from Jones, but he excelled at the end of last season in the more advanced role.

Gakpo is a very smooth player, and his tactical intelligence and positional understanding allowed Klopp to use him in a deeper role for a brief period last season and in the pre-season. What’s really impressive from the Dutchman in this role is the relationships he built with Diaz and Jota, who I would start alongside Salah, as he was able to link up play.

I will use Szoboszlai off the bench. Going home at Stamford Bridge in a Premier League game is tough – let alone for a rookie. He’s shown plenty of encouraging signs in pre-season, but the idea of ​​him and Nunez coming in 60 minutes to wreak havoc is more appealing.

The same five back picks and three forwards all have positive preseasons.

Caoimhe O’Neill

Liverpool’s failure to sign a replacement for Fabinho before the opening game of the season means Jones is my pick to play in the number six spot. It will be a test, but, as he proved on that run, he persisted at the end of and during last season. Summer with the England Under-21s, he’s in the best form of his career so far. Let him continue.

It feels like a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but Liverpool had already signed two midfielders earlier in the window – starting both.

The name Mac Allister keeps autocorrecting to Mac All-star on my laptop, which seems like a good omen. He has proven successful in the Premier League and his transition will be smooth. Szoboszlai, on the other hand, isn’t well versed in the art of the Premier League just yet, but pre-season glimpses and a quick process through his back catalog tell us he looks ready.

In the middle of the front three, I’d go with Jota. It feels like – if he can stay in shape – he could be on the cusp of having his most successful season yet.

On the left, Diaz is eager to start his full tally, and Salah is in his usual place on a mission to never stop proving Chelsea were wrong in selling him in 2016.

(Top photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)