Jamie Carragher breaks down Liverpool’s subtle tactical shift amid ongoing injury crisis

Reds had little trouble sweeping aside Leicester 3-0 in the Premier League at the weekend

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Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has broken down how Jurgen Klopp and his players have adapted to ensure high-level performances and victories despite their ongoing injury crisis.

Three of the Reds’ first-choice back four are currently out, with centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez suffering from injuries that are expected to keep the pair out for the majority of the rest of the season – if not all of it – while right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is unlikely to return until the second week of December.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah has been self-isolating since testing positive for coronavirus, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is another long-term absentee.

Yet the players deployed by Klopp against Leicester on Sunday hardly resembled a second-string outfit, with Fabinho and Joel Matip coming in at centre-back and James Milner out wide to keep a clean sheet as the champions swept aside Leicester 3-0, the goals coming from Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and Leicester’s Jonny Evans.

READ MORE: Premier League table and fixtures – all games by date and kick-off time

“It’s an outstanding job from the players who have actually come in,” Carragher told Sky Sports after Klopp’s side kept out the team with the joint-best away record in the top flight this season.

“When Liverpool went out [against Leicester], people said they would completely change, that they would drop off 10 or 15 yards. I watch a lot of Liverpool’s games and I didn’t quite see it.

“I’ve analysed how they played against [Jamie] Vardy and no one can tell me Liverpool dropped off 10 or 15 yards without Van Dijk. They were still playing a high line, but the difference is the body position the likes of Fabinho adopted.

“Yes, we can talk about him being a midfield player in there, but he’s been outstanding. What he did was play a high line but be ready to run back when the ball went over his head. He ran back and dealt with it.

“When we talk about Van Dijk, let’s not forget he’s been part of a back four for the last couple of years that have had the best defensive record in the league, and I’m sure that would’ve been the case this season with him.”

But even with their first-choice back four available, Liverpool struggled defensively in the opening weeks of the season.

“There was no doubt Liverpool had huge problems at the start of the season,” Carragher admitted. “They conceded three at home against Leeds and then there was obviously the [7-2 loss] against Aston Villa.

“We have spoken a lot on Monday Night Football about Liverpool’s line and it’s difficult at times to criticise a team that have a great defensive record and have been so successful.

“There were times when I’d look at the line and think ‘run back’ – certainly in the Aston Villa game, where obviously Liverpool got it massively wrong.

“At times it was not so much about how high the line was, it was just the fact that I always felt that Liverpool’s defenders needed to be in a position to actually run back. ‘Just run back and match the run – we’re in a decent line, okay they have beat the press and have time on the ball, let’s just give ourselves two or three yards.’ That’s all it was.

“When you have that huge figure you look to in a certain position and he’s out, it's up to others to step in. Sometimes it is not just one player, it can be three or four at one time. What we are seeing now is that there is maybe a lot more leadership from other people.”

Liverpool’s win over Leicester sent the Reds up to second in the table, behind leaders Tottenham on goal difference.