Things haven’t got to plan for Liverpool so far this season.
On paper, last season’s Premier League runners-up looked to have been handed a winnable start to the campaign, with their first two games coming against Fulham at Craven Cottage and then Crystal Palace back at Anfield. Both fixtures finished in frustrating draws though.
On Monday, it was a moment of brilliance from Luis Diaz that rescued a point for Liverpool against Palace after new summer signing Darwin Nunez was sent off in his first Premier League game at Anfield.
That changed the complexion of a game which, for the opening hour, saw Liverpool dominate much of the territory and possession. They struggled to convert the same into clear-cut chances though and did often look vulnerable on the counter.
Rarely has the latter been the case for Liverpool who normally look robust and secure in turnovers. This is usually down to two crucial things, the quality of their defensive players and the structure in which they look to build attacks.
Although Liverpool often line up in a 4-3-3, in possession, it actually better resembles a 2-5-3. Wing-backs and number eights push on and join attacks while the two centre-backs, plus Fabinho who sits just ahead, form a protective trio that guards against counter-attacks launched.
Very few defensive midfielders could take on such a role on their own, and usually, you will see many other teams adopting a structure under the ball that will have two midfielders holding and looking to protect the defence. The fact that Fabinho does it by himself sheds light on why he’s so highly rated.
However in both matches so far this season, and especially against Palace, he struggled. The 28-year-old finished Monday night’s game having lost five defensive duels and having failed to win one aerial battle.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the cause of Fabinho’s struggles, though is likely to be a combination of a dip in form that’s been amplified by a lack of settled midfield partners around him.
Liverpool have been decimated by injuries in the heart of their midfield, meaning Klopp was forced to play Harvey Elliott and James Milner as number eights on Monday.
The lack of understanding and rhythm that can be built only through playing regularly together was clear, and a consequence was that Fabinho was often having to defend bigger areas on his own, as we see in the final image below.
The Brazilian is good enough to turn around his slow start to the season, and the same goes for Liverpool as a collective, but his struggles will be a concern for Klopp during his side's slow start to the season due to how important he is to his team.
With the Reds facing Manchester United next up at Old Trafford, they could have a perfect opportunity to kick start their campaign.
If they do, then their Brazilian is likely to be central to it.
