Pep Guardiola seemed to revolutionise modern football yet again last season, with a new 3-2-4-1 formation. It’s brought many admirers, alongside a great success in the previous campaign and I’m curious as to why another team hasn’t tried to match it. One team who seemingly has the quality and personnel to line-up similarly is Liverpool, I’m here to debate what players could fill the unique formation.

 

In order to go toe to toe with City, a ball-playing shot-stopper is needed, Alisson is one of the best and definitely one of the first names on fans lips when mentioning a goalkeeper of that quality. A keeper is a position the reds definitely have.

 

The back three requires pace, discipline, height, passing ability and the quality of going wide as a right or left sided centre-back. Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil Van Dijk could fill the right and left sides of the back three, respectively. That leaves Joël Matip as the prime candidate to play in the centre of that trio, a role he suits very well. All three could form a tantalising defensive presence.

 

The pivot for City consists of a deep-lying midfielder and a ball-playing defender who can bring the ball into midfield. The reds have one of the best defenders on the ball for the latter in Trent Alexander-Arnold. Alexander-Arnold has played numerous games more recently in midfield for club and country, excelling superbly for both. The deep-lying midfielder spot is one up for grabs, with the possible imminent departure of Fabinho. Stefan Bajčetić could temporarily fill that position, with a midfielder possibly on the list of club targets.

 

The four in-front of the pivot require two hard working wingers, in both defence and attack, alongside two centre-midfielders that link the defensive third with the forward third. Salah and Diaz are superb winger options, both with a great work ethic to help out where they can. The pair can contribute all over the pitch and have the explosive factor to match that. In the centre of the pitch, new signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have the right balance of technical quality and goal scoring creativity. They’d produce a superb box midfield with the pivot of Alexander-Arnold and Bajčetić/potential incoming midfielder.

 

The lone striker isn’t necessarily as prolific as that of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, however, Cody Gakpo is a forward who can fill that void. Gakpo likes to drop deep and link up play, creating goal scoring opportunities for his teammates. Gakpo certainly knows how to finish too, a wonderful false-9 type, modern forward.

 

On paper, the reds certainly have the individual players to introduce this formation for themselves. With practise and training, the potential idea of the 3-4-2-1 set up is both intriguing and exciting. I hope you fans think similarly.