Jurgen Klopp finally unveils his Liverpool reinvention but Arthur Melo answer still awaits
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Liverpool got a much-needed win under their belt as they defeated Rangers 2-0 in the Champions League at Anfield.
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Hide AdHaving made a stuttering start to the Premier League season, the pressure was on the Reds.
But a seventh-minute Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick and a 53rd-minute Mo Salah penalty ensured Liverpool are on track to qualify for the next stage of Europe’s elite club competition.
We analyse the main talking points from the game.
Reinvention under way
It was after the chastening 4-1 loss to Napoli when Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool needed to reinvent themselves.
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Hide AdThe Reds boss had just watched his side mauled in Naples. Four goals conceded flattered the visitors.
When you think of a reinvention, it conjures up ideas of radical change.
None of that was to be seen in Liverpool's 2-1 defeat of Ajax. And it certainly wasn't apparent in their 3-3 draw with Brighton when, again, their defence was persistently breached.
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Hide AdBut finally, after almost a month's wait, Kopites witnessed Klopp reorient his team.
The German shifted away from the 4-3-3 formation he's staunchly favoured - and ensured every trophy possible bar the Europa League during his Anfield tenure has been gleaned.
When the Liverpool team was announced, there was only one word to describe it; attacking.
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Hide AdCall it a 4-4-2, a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-2-4. What mattered was Klopp deployed four forwards in Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.
The outcome was that Liverpool ran amok. They created 23 shots, with 10 on target. Only for an inspired performance from Rangers keeper Allan McGregor, the win would have been more emphatic.
Jota buzzed around between the lines, Nunez (more on him later) was superb and Salah managed to find more one-v-one scenarios to cause problems. As for Diaz, he carried on in the rampant form he’s been in all campaign and won the penalty for Salah to round off the victory.
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Hide AdKlopp revealed that he changed his set-up to stop the Reds from being so permeable at the back. But it was going forward which it had the most benefit.
Given this was the first time Liverpool have played such a way, improvements will only be made as more time is spent on the training ground.
Nunez step forward
Darwin Nunez has come in for some early-season flak, having arrived for up to £85 million from Benfica in the summer.
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Hide AdIndeed, the striker hasn't immediately lit the touchpaper to his Anfield career. He’s not scored since the opening day of the season against Fulham.
And Nunez hasn't been helped by Erling Haaland scoring goals for Manchester City as if the opposition were under-12s week in, week out.
But, like plenty of Klopp's signings, Nunez will need time to adapt - and showed that he is doing so against Rangers.
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Hide AdHe was a beneficiary of the formation tweak and his display lacked everything but a goal.
Nunez's smart, physical play forced the foul that won the free-kick for Alexander-Arnold's opener.
There was one moment soon after when he put pressure on John Lundstram which won Liverpool a throw-in deep in enemy territory that received loud applause - and another when he showed the desire to keep the ball alive near the technical area.
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Hide AdA maiden Anfield goal would have done the Uruguay international's confidence the world of good. However, it now seems closer than ever.
Nunez will take heart from his performance and those in the stands let him know when he was subbed off by chanting his name.
Arthur absence
Amid the surprise and palpable excitement of the Liverpool team, the bench was then surveyed.
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Hide AdAnd after scanning the 12 substitutes, there was no Arthur Melo involved.
Instead, Klopp named two goalkeepers in Adrian and Caoimhin Kelleher on the bench, as well as 17-year-old Stefan Bajcetic.
Arthur's absence took most aback. He'd only trained with Liverpool the previous day and his agent had revealed that fitness level was where they needed to be following two outings for the under-21s.
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Hide AdSpeculation, unsurprisingly, starts and theories of his whereabouts were discussed on social.
But, in truth, almost all of those are likely to be wide of the mark.
Klopp did not mention why Arthur was not involved during his post-match press conference.
Therefore, we may have to wait until he speaks to the media again to see why the Juventus loanee did not feature.
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