Analysis: Liverpool

Liverpool set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Fabinho and Georginio Wijnaldum as the deep central midfielders. Xherdan Shaqiri, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane supported Mo Salah in attack.

The role of Fabinho and Wijnaldum was to provide security and take up positions that allowed for further attacking movement ahead of the ball. Fabinho would regularly take on a false full-back or false centre-back position so Andy Robertson or Trent Alexander-Arnold could push up on their respective side. With the full-backs pushing up, Shaqiri, Mane and Firmino could play inside with Salah, and all could then attack the box at the same time, should a cross come in from wide. This was evident for the opening goal, scored by Firmino.

During the build-up phases in the opposition half, the front four tended to play on different vertical and horizontal lines – this made it difficult for them to be marked within a compact defensive structure, and also opened up the possibility for combinations around the Red Star defence. The security of Fabinho and Wijnaldum in midfield allowed the attacking quartet to play with a certain level of creative freedom, culminating in several chances being created for one another.

Liverpool remained in their 4-2-3-1 shape out of possession, and would press their opponents high when possible. Salah was tasked with keeping the play out to one side, following down the line of the ball as it travelled out and doubling up with the wide attacker who was on that side at the time.

The Reds spent occasions in the first half in a mid-block phase, where they would allow the opposition centre-backs to have possession and simply prevent any play through the middle – this was most likely executed to limit the intensity of the high press, thereby preserving energy. On these occasions, the shape would remain a 4-2-3-1, but the distances between individuals and units would be closer due to the reduced space now available.

When Red Star adapted to this by positioning an extra man in their deepest line to create space elsewhere for the build-up, Liverpool also adapted. In a simple manner, they made sure that when the play went out to one side of the pitch, Salah’s body shape prevented the pass into the new man in the deep line, effectively nullifying the tactical tweak. With this, the visitors also now had one less player further up the pitch.

Liverpool’s counter-press, which was immediate and intense, was another point of note. The players positioned ahead of the ball when possession was lost would press immediately from behind, while the players behind the ball would either go and engage if they were close enough, or drop off to protect the more dangerous spaces as their teammates recovered and counter-pressed from behind.