For a team employing Daniel Sturridge, it’s less than likely the club will ever have a full contingent of players. But let’s pretend we live in a utopia and there’s a scenario which Studge could be injury free.

I already like this world.

If all of Jurgen Klopp’s options are available, what’s Liverpool’s best XI? The defense is thin regardless if everyone is around or not, but the midfield and attacking options are stocked with quality* players that could be difficult to separate.

*Quality is a relative term. A 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge? Quality options. A 3-1 loss at Old Trafford? Not-quality options.

For Klopp, he needs to decide if he’ll stick with his 4-2-3-1, even though it fits the personnel as well as a human fits through a dog door. But, he’s accustomed to that formation and it has brought him (a lot of) success. It relies on excellent wing play, something Klopp is bereft of at Liverpool, with Jordon Ibe essentially the team’s only out-and-out winger. Also, with that formation only enabling one striker, one of Sturrdige or Christian Benteke would naturally be sacrificed, or one would be forced to play out of position.

Option 1: (4-2-3-1) Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Lucas, Henderson; Sturridge, Firmino, Coutinho; Benteke

Klopp has demonstrated this is his preferred formation, though the pieces don’t exactly fit right. To be fair it’d be difficult to find a formation that works for a defensive mid, a box-to-box mid, two central attacking mids and two strikers. A bit narrow, that.

Sturridge hates playing wide and Benteke certainly can’t earn a living out there. This is the only way to fit their best players on the field in the manager’s preferred formation.

The back line is pretty straight forward, there’s not much debate unless you’re Dejan Lovren’s mother or Brendan Rodgers. Lucas Leiva over Emre Can in the midfield. The Brazilian has had a renaissance of late, reminding fans how important a footballer he can be, no emphasis on the “baller.”

The attacking slots are a bit murky, with the wingers playing out of position. But, maybe Sturridge has had a change of heart and will do a job for the team under a new manager. Coutinho has been effective at the left attacking mid role, able to cut in and have the whole field ahead of his right peg.

Related: it’s nice to see “Henderson” in an XI again.

Option 2: (4-4-2 tight diamond) Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Lucas; Henderson, Coutinho; Firmino; Sturridge, Benteke

The same players, not the manager’s preferred formation, but the system that puts the players in natural positions. Sturridge and Benteke up top seems a great duo, especially with Firmino buzzing around behind them. Coutinho has shown the ability to play a little deeper though that’s another reason Lucas needs to be in the team for his defense first/only defense mentality to balance the midfield.

A tight diamond doesn’t eliminate Klopp’s true gegenpressing identity. The formation helps the team stay ridged and compress the center while stepping high and pressing as a unit. A tight diamond also relies on adequate fullbacks that can get up and down the pitch contributing to the attack. Clyne and Moreno embody that notion.

Other ways to tinge either team sheet is individual battles. Can and Adam Lallana each look deserving to be in the first choice team, though it’d be difficult to drop anyone ahead of them. James Milner, even out of form, also would be within a shout. Danny Ings was looking lively before Klopp arrived and he seems a player that the new manager would love.

Liverpool won’t ever have this full slate of players to choose from. Ings and Joe Gomez are done for the season, and I’d imagine at least one new signing will walk through Melwood in January. But it is plausible to see the players selected share the pitch. Once Henderson returns, as long as Sturridge can stick around and his injury bug isn’t contagious to an already fragile Benteke.

I already miss the injury-free utopia.