Liverpool analysis: Can Arne Slot find his best midfield as Champions League race intensifies?
Arne Slot has learnt plenty about his Liverpool side lately, but as the campaign enters its most decisive month, finding the ideal midfield trio is vital to ending the Premier League season strongly.
Liverpool’s 2-1 Merseyside derby victory on April 19, sealed by a dramatic 100th-minute Virgil van Dijk header at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, was the first step in the race for Champions League qualification.
Chelsea are currently seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, and the Blues are only able to reach a maximum of 63 points after losing to Manchester United.
That means nine points from their remaining five games will be enough for Slot’s side.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Ruben Picardo Ashworth takes a look at how the Reds’ win over Everton raised questions about who should start in midfield.
Current situation
The derby itself offered a snapshot of the current situation.
Curtis Jones, who played the majority of the game at right back, was one of Liverpool’s most composed performers.
By contrast, Florian Wirtz struggled to impose himself as he repeatedly lost possession and found it difficult to cope with Everton’s physicality.
Liverpool isn’t short of individual quality, but collective balance is still being shaped.
That lack of clarity has been affected by injuries and tactical adjustments, where Slot has been forced into regular rotation.
Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been one of Liverpool’s brightest sparks, leads the way with 4,286 minutes played this season, followed by Ryan Gravenberch (3,791), Alexis Mac Allister (3,447), and Wirtz (3,281).
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Curtis Jones claiming his starting spot
Jones, despite recent performances, sits significantly lower at 2,423 minutes.
That gap feels notable because when given the opportunity, Jones has made a compelling case to play more.
Indeed, his performance in the derby demonstrated exactly that.
While playing outside his natural position, he delivered 16 recoveries, six clearances, and four interceptions alongside completing 79 of his 84 passes for a 94% success rate.
Away from the numbers, it was the control and composure he brought, even when the game drifted into chaos, that was key.
The issues Liverpool have faced at right back have had a knock-on effect across the team.
Conor Bradley has been sidelined with a season-long knee injury and Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong have been in and out of the squad with their own challenges.
Therefore, both Jones and Szoboszlai have been asked to fill in, and while they have performed diligently, it has come at a cost.
Szoboszlai’s attacking influence is diminished when pulled into defence and Jones’ positional instincts are naturally those of a midfielder rather than a defender.
This season has proven difficult for the Premier League champions as Slot has not always been able to assess his midfield options in their intended roles, further complicating any attempt to find his best trio.
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Liverpool’s midfield trio
Gravenberch appears firmly established as the number six, providing a physical presence and ball-carrying ability at the heart of midfield.
The question is: Who complements him best?
Wirtz’s struggles against Everton will not define him, but they do highlight a concern.
He lost possession 14 times and found little space to operate. In matches where physical duels dominate, his influence and involvement can diminish.
This offers the possibility of a different structure.
Jones, with his ability to retain possession and dictate play, can present a more controlled option next to Gravenberch as a number eight – Szoboszlai could then operate higher up, where his energy and creativity are most effective.
On paper, that midfield looks balanced. However, if right back options remain limited, having these three play together in their best positions will be difficult.
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Five games away from Champions League qualification
Liverpool’s run-in is unforgiving.
They host Crystal Palace, who have already beaten them twice this season, and travel to a Man Utd side that has lost just twice in their last 12 matches.
Chelsea, still chasing Champions League qualification, then arrive at Anfield with urgency before Aston Villa, who sit above Liverpool in the table, and Brentford, busy pushing for their own European place, comprise the last couple of matches.
There is little margin for error and even less room for exploring other options.
A settled midfield can build rhythm and understanding, but different opponents demand different profiles.
Control against one team, physicality against another, and creativity when chasing a game are the dilemmas Slot will be thinking about.
For much of the season, circumstances have dictated those choices, but with five games remaining, Liverpool need to get it right.
What is clear is that Jones has forced himself into the conversation to start in midfield at exactly the right moment.
Although it has been a difficult and poor campaign, qualifying for the Champions League is vital and getting the midfield balance right is not just important, it is decisive.
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