Jürgen Klopp can start Liverpool ‘long-term project’ early and unlock Alexis Mac Allister
Jürgen Klopp will have some thinking to do after losing at least two players following defeat at Spurs, but he could get a chance to start a long-term project early.
Saturday’s controversial defeat at Tottenham came at a fairly hefty cost for Liverpool. Not only is the Reds’ unbeaten run now over, but Jürgen Klopp faces the prospect of losing three players from action.
The fallout that has followed the farce of not overturning Luis Díaz’s disallowed goal has actually managed to overshadow the fact that Liverpool ended the game with just nine men on the pitch, with Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota’s dismissals controversial enough.
The pair will miss next Sunday’s clash with Brighton, while Jones is also set to miss subsequent games against Everton and Nottingham Forest. Add to that the fact Cody Gakpo was seen leaving North London wearing a leg brace, and the issues are piling up for Klopp.
Having said that, Liverpool does have obvious fixes for that game against Brighton at least. Darwin Núñez should be able to return in the forward line, while Ryan Gravenberch would appear to be the next cab off the rank in midfield.
The two players are at different stages of their Liverpool development though. Núñez looks to be picking up the methods Klopp expects of his forwards, and there is an argument to be made for him being the first-choice number nine now.
Gravenberch though is still only a matter of weeks into his time at Anfield. He does have a couple of starts under his belt in the Europa League and Carabao Cup, but his league appearances have so far been cameos off the bench.
That looks likely to be stepped up over the coming weeks with Jones now out of domestic action for three games, and it could give Klopp an opportunity to explore his “long-term project” a little earlier than expected.
Gravenberch was perhaps a slight surprise during the summer transfer window, given Liverpool arguably still needed a number six despite the signing of Wataru Endō. Klopp though hasn’t ruled out the Netherlands international filling the role.
“I didn’t mention [the position], [Bayern Munich boss] Thomas Tuchel said that!” Klopp said earlier this month when asked where Gravenberch is best suited
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“I think definitely in the future he has the potential to play as a number six. The only thing about Alexis Mac Allister — he can play the position — is, is he a classical six how you would draw it? Probably not. But the position in football has changed over the years.
“But besides that [Gravenberch] is a real talent. So now we have to see. We obviously have good players and we don’t need to push him in because he is new, it’s a mid and long-term project and he will be with us definitely and will have enough opportunities to play.”
Klopp clearly sees Gravenberch as having the potential to eventually fill Fabinho’s shoes, which — as the Liverpool boss hinted at — could also be a benefit to Alexis Mac Allister.
