Liverpool is set to face Burnley on Sunday, with an opportunity to secure a flawless record of four wins from four matches and claim the top spot in the league. Despite this perfect start, there’s a sense that Arne Slot`s Reds haven`t quite unleashed their full potential. In his second year at the helm, Slot faces complex choices regarding squad integration for new signings and optimizing player positions, challenges that are likely to persist.
The return of Alexander Isak introduces fresh lineup dilemmas for the Reds. While Hugo Ekitike has enjoyed a promising start to the season with two goals and an assist, he will probably need to transition to a wing role once Isak is ready for a starting position. Ekitike`s previous experience as a secondary attacker at Eintracht Frankfurt means this role isn`t entirely new to him, offering Slot valuable tactical alternatives for his squad composition.
Match Information: Burnley vs. Liverpool
- Date: Sunday, September 14
- Time: 9:00 a.m. ET
- Venue: Turf Moor, Burnley, England
- TV: USA
- Live Stream: Fubo
- Odds: Burnley +800; Draw +460; Liverpool -320
With the Champions League group stage kicking off on Tuesday, squad rotation becomes a necessity. Players like Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, and Ekitike are all expected to spend time on the bench. For Wirtz, this rotation could prove beneficial. Since his move from Bayer Leverkusen, he has yet to register a goal or assist in three Premier League appearances, and his average touches per game have significantly decreased.
Wirtz`s reduced impact can be attributed to various factors, including the Premier League’s distinctive style of play and the diminished space available. Crucially, at Leverkusen, Wirtz was the focal point, with most attacking play channeling through him. At Liverpool, however, the squad boasts a multitude of stars, ensuring that even Mohamed Salah doesn’t singularly dominate possession. While Wirtz is anticipated to see more involvement as the season progresses, it`s also important to recognize that these recent additions are part of Liverpool`s broader, long-term strategy for future seasons.
Slot’s preferred 3-4-3 formation remains challenging to deploy currently due to Mohamed Salah`s presence, which would necessitate benching another key attacker like Wirtz, Isak, or Ekitike. This, alongside ongoing questions about Dominik Szoboszlai’s role, highlights typical issues faced by a world-class club. Slot must deftly balance player morale with tactical decisions to maintain Liverpool`s position at the league`s pinnacle. So far, he has successfully navigated this challenge, even without Wirtz consistently delivering his best.
Nevertheless, Wirtz must elevate his performance significantly in the Champions League. Last season, Liverpool comfortably topped their Champions League group but failed to win the competition and were also surprisingly eliminated from the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle. While such early exits are more palatable when a league title pursuit is underway, a failure to achieve deep runs in cup competitions this season could indicate a worrying trend. As the fixture list intensifies, Wirtz’s peak form will be indispensable; Liverpool cannot indefinitely sustain a high level of performance in the demanding Premier League without realizing its full potential.
