What If?: Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool's XI to Beat Sunderland
By Sneha Santra
The match between Liverpool and Sunderland ended in a 1-1 draw at Anfield. Liverpool controlled the flow of the game but repeatedly struggled to convert sustained possession into high value chances, allowing the Black Cats’ 4-2-3-1 to neutralise their attacks. The Reds lacked stability, sharpness and gaps in structure. But what would this game have looked like if Jürgen Klopp had picked the lineup? What adjustments would he make to beat Sunderland?
Jürgen Klopp wasn’t just a manager for Liverpool; he was the architect of a footballing identity that reshaped the club’s modern era. Across nine years, he forged a side built on intensity, cohesion, and emotion, transforming Liverpool from a directionless team to a team that thrives in discipline, pushing limits and more.
Klopp was a phenomenal leader, and his mentality and approach reflect the same! He arrived in October 2015, replacing Brendan Rodgers. Throughout the years, he outlined a solid blueprint to the players and fans at a time when Liverpool was not performing well. He instilled a philosophy that is very strong and emotional at the same time.
He summed up his philosophy best when he said:
“My team must play at full throttle and take it to the limit every single game. It is important to have a playing philosophy that reflects your own mentality, reflects the club and gives you a clear direction to follow” - Klopp
If the German was still the manager, he could well have done things differently. Even amid the injuries of key midfielders and defenders, Klopp’s focus would have been microscopic and relentless. Every slight hesitation in pressing, every slight mistake or a striker’s first touch out of line would draw his attention because in his system, even a second can alter everything.
He would reorganise the lineup to preserve balance. A disciplined number six shielding the backline, staggered full-back roles to compress space without overextending and wingers positioned to overload half-spaces.
He would tighten the counter press triggers and ensure the first two passes after regaining possession are vertical.
Returning players would be eased in with limited minutes and simplified responsibilities. Klopp would ensure intensity in pressing and precision in defensive coverage.
The recent match with Sunderland highlighted several cracks in the Reds’ structure, especially in the transition and defensive coverage. Firstly, the midfield struggled to assert dominance, and delayed pressing allowed Sunderland’s pivot to turn freely, exploiting the half-spaces between the number six and the centre-backs, leaving gaps in front of the defence. On the flanks, Liverpool’s players were often out of sync.
In the second half, fatigue showed up in pressing intensity during the second half, triggers were mistimed, and recovery runs lagged, allowing Sunderland to launch rapid counters and maintain parity. All of this led to delayed pressing, allowing Sunderland’s pivot to turn freely which dragged Liverpool’s shape out of alignment.
Moving forward, Liverpool’s recovery will depend less on nostalgia for the Klopp era and more on how decisively the current leadership can impose its own identity. The Sunderland draw exposed a wide gap in structure and cohesion. The next steps then are all about clarity, simplifying the deadline, re-establishing defensive distances, and restoring confidence in their possession play.
Liverpool doesn’t need to be Klopp’s Liverpool again; they need to become a version of themselves that finally understands the new blueprint. The ecosystem is totally different now, so they must re-learn how to dominate again on the field.
The coming weeks will reveal whether Liverpool can do it or not. The squad has the quality, the system has the potential, and the hunger is still visible in flashes. What they need currently is more alignment with the right strategy, between ideas and execution - between what Liverpool was and what they are trying to become.