The two clever Liverpool changes that show Jurgen Klopp’s greatest skill

The Reds rallied late against the Blades with Alexis Mac Allister’s wonder strike inspiring a vital victory in the Premier League title race

Chris Wilder was warned by a former Sheffield United manager. Himself, to be precise. Rewind to 2020, to Wilder’s first spell in charge at Bramall Lane, to a sport being reshaped by Covid and the contest between Liverpool and Sheffield United then was a spat.

Jurgen Klopp was the most outspoken advocate of making five substitutes a permanent part of the managerial armoury. Wilder, feeling the smaller clubs had less bench strength, was the spokesman for the other camp, branding Klopp “selfish”.

The German won the argument. And, several years later, the game. Probably the final meaningful intervention in the managerial meetings of Klopp and Wilder came from two replacements: Andy Robertson, brought on in the first of Klopp’s two double substitutions, crossed and Cody Gakpo, introduced in the second pair, headed in.

It put Klopp on the brink of a personal half-century. Liverpool’s substitutes now have 49 direct goal contributions this season: Gakpo’s goal was the 24th, Robertson’s assist the 25th. On a night when the most crucial and classiest moment came from a starter, Alexis Mac Allister restoring Liverpool’s lead with a wondrous strike, Robertson’s importance was apparent long before he crossed for Gakpo. His dynamism added another dimension. It was an advertisement for the merits of a natural attacking left-back.

Robertson may not really belong in a discussion about substitutes: a normal starter was only on the bench as he returned from injury. Yet there is a broader truth. Klopp has become the best in the business at deploying his reinforcements. Pep Guardiola, the manager he often describes as the best in the world, can be reticent to turn to his bench. Klopp does so willingly, boldly: he took Mohamed Salah off at 1-1 against Sheffield United. Some of his best changes don’t bring a goal or an assist, but he trusted in teenage talents in the Carabao Cup final; he gave Jarell Quansah a debut when his 10 men trailed at St James’ Park. They went on to win 2-1.

Over the course of the season, Harvey Elliott has probably been their most influential substitute, across 22 appearances from the bench. The most significant cameos, however, are arguably Darwin Nunez’s two-goal display at Newcastle and his match-winning turn against Nottingham Forest.

If it points to the depth of Liverpool’s talent – which that has been tested still further by injuries – Klopp has conjured something from everyone this season to maximise his squad. But there are a couple of other elements. Klopp’s five main forwards are all very different: he is never making like-for-like changes among them, but he has the skill to perm the right player for each moment. And amid the midfield makeover, virtually all of the options are largely constructive. Yet simply possessing a lot of high-quality footballers is not enough in itself to render a manager a master of substitutions. Klopp, with his capacity to read a game and alter it, with his understanding of his players and when to use each, has shown he is much more than a charismatic motivator.

Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo celebrate Liverpool’s third goal (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

“It has been proven all season that they [the substitutes] have been stepping up,” said captain Virgil van Dijk. But there is an indirect impact of substitutes, one that is not measured purely in their goals and assists but which was reflected in Wilder’s verdict. “Yet again Liverpool are finding goals late on,” he lamented. “The power and the pace, that has been our Achilles heel late on.” The physicality of the Premier League, he felt, was the greatest problem for his relegation-threatened team.

Liverpool have 26 league goals in the last 15 minutes of games, 10 more than anyone else. They have had 593 shots in the Premier League, 57 more than anyone else. It shows they play a 16-man game, enabling them to maintain their assault on opponents. Their tactic for overcoming teams is to overwhelm them, to keep on coming, keep on running. An ability to change half their outfield players is a reason why a team who have led for rather fewer minutes in the Premier League than Arsenal or Manchester City still have the most points, and by far and away the most from losing positions.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates following the win over Sheffield United (PA Wire)

Those 10 fresh legs enable them to career on at speed, to carry on racking up the shots, to ultimately batter opponents into submission. Klopp’s original gambit as a manager was to make football faster. Now his team show the speed of sprinters for marathon after marathon. That those who come on to run at tiring opponents have a habit of scoring or making goals is scarcely a coincidence. And while Liverpool’s 23rd goal from a substitute came at Old Trafford in the FA Cup, that defeat was a rare occasion when Klopp’s changes could be questioned. Now Liverpool return there, on the brink of their half-century of roles in goals from replacements.