11:54 Ben Burrows

Option one - 4-2-3-1

Klopp’s Dortmund system and the most likely choice at Liverpool. Built on a supremely well-drilled foundation of pace, power and relentless workrate Klopp will look for willing runners in all positions leaving some of the current Reds crop more vulnerable than others.

At the back Clyne and Moreno are safe and look a good fit as the pair of attacking full-backs tasked with providing the width needed overlapping further forward. Skrtel will play leaving Klopp the decision between Sakho and Lovren alongside him. The Frenchman provides balance on the left side but with the Croatian superior on the ball he may perhaps be favoured, at least at first.

Further forward Can looks tailor made for the “6” role and will see a lot of playing time as the team’s primary ball-winner and ball-player. Henderson alongside him is a perfect “8” and will provide the link between attack and defence. Ilkay Gundogan played this role for Klopp in Dortmund and while Henderson doesn’t yet possess the class of the German he’ll more than make up for it with spades of enthusiasm, something Klopp will love to see from his captain.



In the wide areas Milner is a shoo-in thanks to his tireless engine and tactical versatility while on the opposite side Firmino could finally find his Liverpool niche. Klopp’s Dortmund utilised the wide man on the left side, the imperious Marco Reus, to transition defence into attack as fast as possible. Reus, of course, is a supreme footballer and brought a boatload of goals and assists with that raw speed, but Firmino has already shown back in the Bundesliga that he too has that in his arsenal. The Brazilian has struggled to find a role since joining in the summer – Klopp’s arrival could finally help him do that.

While the surrounding jigsaw pieces are clearly important the integral player to Klopp’s teams is the “10”. Mario Gotze, Shinji Kagawa and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all played lead guitar in Dortmund’s heavy metal system - at Liverpool Coutinho will be that man. The Brazilian’s precision of movement and vision coupled with an eye for goal make him a perfect fit for it. With Barcelona and Manchester City circling Klopp’s first point of order could well be making sure he has him to call upon beyond January.

