It is difficult to find a criticism for a team that has won all 5 of their opening matches in the Premier League. The only limitation that can be considered is Liverpool having to wait until late goals to turn draws into victories. But from another perspective, it is the ability to explode at that decisive moment that deserves praise.
The truth is Liverpool are leading the rankings with 15 absolute points, the only team still unbeaten. However, how to operate in the next phase will be a difficult problem for coach Arne Slot. The Dutch captain emphasized the importance of rotation after a narrow 2-1 victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby.
The first-half goals of Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike soon shaped the game for the "Red Brigade". The French new signing has been showing impressive integration with 4 goals and 1 assist since arriving at Anfield last summer. The perfect first 45 minutes can be considered Liverpool's most impressive performance since the beginning of the season.
Slot called it "the joy of witnessing", when Mohamed Salah's delicate cross was concretized by Gravenberch with a skillful finish. Ekitike then took advantage of Gravenberch's another sharp pass to score with calmness and coolness.
"This is the evolution of the team. We always try to make things different. He is often noticed for his attacking ability, but I appreciate his unsolved moves. I have seen Gravenberch support Conor Bradley many times" - Slot said about Gravenberch.
The Dutch midfielder is the typical link for the "sneak steps" that Slot mentioned. He became the youngest player in Liverpool's history to both score and assist in a Merseyside derby. This was also Gravenberch's second goal of the season.
Gravenberch is now the most efficient midfielder in his position compared to any other Premier League counterpart. However, that also leads to chain effects. The gathering of suitable individuals to maintain tactical balance becomes an increasingly complex problem for Slot.
No team will weaken when they have a world-class squad. However, the method and time of rotation will need to be calculated accurately.
The biggest question now is where Florian Wirtz will fit in a system where Gravenberch is clearly the center, along with two established names, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister?
Obviously, using Wirtz will somewhat disrupt the system's performance. That does not mean that the young German talent cannot contribute, but only shows that he needs more time to adapt to the intensity and physical harshness of the Premier League. And to facilitate Wirtz, Slot was forced to make tactical changes, in which dragging Gravenberch deeper was an example.
Wirtz has established himself as one of the most creative composers in the Bundesliga, a quality that was further demonstrated in the midweek match against Atletico Madrid. However, the Premier League environment is very different.
Against Everton, when Wirtz came on to replace Cody Gakpo, the blue team had the most impressive playing time, while creating the highest xG since the beginning of the match.
Back to the difficult question of Ekitike. On the day Alexander Isak made his Premier League debut at Anfield, after the final whistle, the name that The Kop fans called out was Ekitike.
Of course, how long Ekitike will play the main striker role will depend on Slot's decision. While Isak is gradually regaining his form, the French striker shows that he is strong enough to shoulder this responsibility.
However, what will happen when both of these strikers are eager to play and are ready to compete fiercely, both aiming for a starting position?
