Joe Gomez at centre-half and other talking points as Liverpool host Huddersfield

SHOULD THERE BE A CHANGE IN SHAPE?

With Philippe Coutinho unlikely to feature due to an abductor problem, the visit of Huddersfield could allow Klopp the opportunity to not only tinker with personnel but also his tactics.

Indeed, the German has largely stuck to his trusted 4-3-3 set-up this season – which in reality looks more like a 4-1-4-1 with one striker and one holding midfielder acting as the focal points – but there’s hope from the Liverpool faithful he could return to the 4-2-3-1 he employed at Borussia Dortmund.

Liverpool’s defence, is well, indefensible, but Klopp can do more to offer his backline some support and he can do so by operating with a two-man base in his midfield.

As JJ Bull points out in his piece for the Telegraph, much of the Reds implosion at Wembley can be pinned to the absence of an adequate shield in front of the back four.

Klopp’s middle three is made up of two attacking midfielders and one defensive but the man who occupies the pivot, Jordan Henderson, is not a player who can carry out the defensive actions the role requires.

He’s made six interceptions so far this season and to make that quantifiable the mark places him 55th out of every Premier League midfielder and some three less than the peripheral Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The Reds need more than just Henderson as an insurance policy and the 4-2-3-1 not only offers extra protection but perhaps more creative avenues without Coutinho in the side.

Oxlade-Chamberlain (more of him next), Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah could sit in behind Daniel Sturridge with the three offering plenty of fluidity in terms of  ability to interchange positions.

Klopp has options and having a Plan B is no bad thing. Now might be the time to roll it out.

OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN FOR COUTINHO?

So, as mentioned above what the potential absence of Coutinho throws up is who will replace him if he’s not fit?

The obvious candidate is Oxlade-Chamberlain but then nothing is so clear cut with Klopp.

The 24-year-old is yet to make a Premier League start since his £35million switch from Arsenal but in his performances so far the England international has shown he offers something Liverpool don’t have.

With Salah a player who often cuts in from the right, Oxlade-Chamberlain is someone who likes to get to the byline and deliver.

In 144 minutes from the bench he’s attempted 13 crosses and it’s an contrasting style which could compliment Salah well to give the hosts a different dynamic.

Without the injured Sadio Mane, the two-pronged pace attack from the wings loses its zip, and without the free-roaming Coutinho the creative burden must be shared.

Bringing in Oxlade-Chamberlain could provide the antidote.

However, there is some luxury for Klopp in that he can use the versatility of the former Arsenal man to deploy him in an aggressive midfield three and reshuffle his front line, or bring him into a three behind a No10 in a 4-2-3-1.

Whatever the shape, Oxlade-Chamberlain should be expecting to make his full league debut.

JOE GOMEZ AT CENTRE HALF?

We couldn’t preview a Liverpool game without discussing the defence.

There are a myriad of potential solutions to their back problems but one which has arisen this week is to shift Joe Gomez from his right-back berth into the heart of the defence.

Of course, this would mean dropping Dejan Lovren but Klopp has a propensity for taking under-pressure players out of the firing line and could do so with the Croatian after his disastrous display against Spurs.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has impressed this season and the 19-year-old can slot in at right back allowing Gomez to partner Joel Matip in his more natural position.

Now, there’s a reason most top sides don’t play a 20-year-old as a centre-half and that’s because the ability to read games is born from experience.

There has to be an acceptance that the chance of a mistake is no less than with Lovren or Ragnar Klavan but at this point what does Klopp have to lose?

Gomez has rarely let the side down in a position which isn’t all-that natural for him having played through the centre for Charlton and England’s youth levels.

But in truth, Klopp has no choice because playing with Matip and Lovren is simply negligible.