Check out the strategy of how Liverpool plan to survive without Skipper Mo salah and Endo

Liverpool is having a great time in what is clearly a very good season so far.

In addition to being in the Europa League knockout stages after winning our group, we are also in the EFL Cup semifinals, the Premier League table, and the Newcastle United match on New Year’s Day. We truly are in flight. We also wouldn’t have lost in the Premier League if not for the heist at the Tottenham Stadium.

Jurgen Klopp has made strategic use of his squad and rotated widely. In the ongoing absence of Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic, players like Jarrell Quansah have emerged to the fore, and all five of the attackers play in nearly every game when healthy, starting or coming off the bench.

Maybe that’s why we’ve been able to win so many games in the closing minutes by using Klopp’s five substitutes more than any other manager in the premier league.

However, the boss is going to have a lot of headaches due to a major issue. Mo Salah and Wataru Endo may be out of action for the entirety of January and possibly even into February due to the irksomely scheduled Africa Cup of Nations and Asia Cup.

Given that Egypt and Japan are two of the favorites in their respective competitions, Klopp can anticipate that they won’t be available for the FA Cup Third Round matchups with Arsenal and Bournemouth, the EFL Semi-Final legs against Fulham, and, most concerning of all, the Premier League matchups between Chelsea and Arsenal.

Here are a few options that the boss may be able to choose from.

Swapping out Wataru Endo
How much has Endo improved? For a while, it appeared as though he might wind up being a joke at Liverpool—a bewildering addition from Stuttgart who was clearly below par. However, he is. Endo has shown hunger, humility, and tenacity at number six despite turning thirty years old, and this has given us solidity and tenacity in midfield. He maintains his position, makes quick, deft passes, and is increasingly employing cunning defensive manoeuvres that allow us to counterattack.

Fortunately for Klopp, Alexis Mac Allister is fully recovered and is the obvious choice to re-enter the team in Endo’s place. Prior to his injury, the Argentine was Klopp’s first-choice number six, but he has been out for three weeks. But his approach to the position is different from Endo’s. Mac Allister takes balls in tighter spaces and looks for more daring passes because he has far better vision and is technically braver. But since this could result in us losing possession, it would be beneficial if he could handle the ball like Endo does, even if it takes him longer to attempt to make the ideal pass.

Starting Joe Gomez at right back and using Trent Alexander-Arnold as the deep-lying playmaker is an additional option. Gomez is required at left-back, though, due to injuries to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas, so it’s unlikely that Trent will play his obviously preferred position full-time for a while.

Curtis Jones has been an England youth team regular at number six. Klopp may also switch up the lineup by using a double pivot, maybe with Jones and Mac Allister deep and Dominik Szoboszlai in a more creative, free-flowing role.

Taking Mo Salah’s place
In actuality, Mo Salah is irreplaceable. In all competitions thus far, he has 16 goals, 7 assists, and the most big-time chances created of any player in the top division. Darwin Nunez would have had well over ten assists if he could finish. Although Mac Allister appears to be the obvious choice to take Endo’s place, there aren’t many obvious options to replace Salah, especially considering that whoever steps in will inevitably weaken our frontline.

Harvey Elliott ought to be given more time. This season, he has been excellent coming off the bench; in the Premier League, only Quansah, Ben Doak, and James McConnell have played fewer minutes than him. Although the young player lacks Salah’s speed and behind-the-back ability, Mo is actually losing those things anyway, and these days his game is much more focused on his creative genius. Elliott is now a more logical replacement than he was before. Harvey is a capable shooter from inside the box who can also play deft through-balls, particularly when a central pace-merchant such as Nunez is present.

Although Luis Diaz is not having the best season, Klopp has occasionally used him on the right. A positional change might energize the Colombian, as his issue on the left is that he constantly cuts in and has ceased beating his man on the outside. Nunez, Diogo Jota, and Cody Gakpo are all at ease there, so we can sacrifice him on the left.

Although Jota has also played on the right, this may prevent him from entering the box, and in Salah’s absence, we will really need his finishing touch. Let’s keep Diogo at the center.

The option with wildcards is Szoboszlai. He can move quickly on two feet and has experience playing on the right flank. It might just work if he can play in a position that gets him closer to the goal and lets him use his incredible shooting ability. This is made possible by the midfield numbers, and since he has recently underperformed, this must help him just like it does Diaz.