Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 18.
Team analysis: Liverpool
Liverpool’s results have been excellent at Anfield this season, but Mohamed Salah aside, their front three have generally struggled to make a consistent impact in front of their own supporters.
Although Cody Gakpo netted in Wednesday night's 5-1 EFL Cup quarter-final win over West Ham United, he is yet to score a Premier League goal at Anfield in 2023/24, while Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have netted just three league goals between them on home turf since the start of the season.
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All four of Diogo Jota’s strikes have come at home, but he is a fitness doubt for the visit of leaders Arsenal on Saturday.
Having followed up a disappointing goalless draw against Manchester United with a thumping midweek win against West Ham, the spotlight remains on Liverpool’s forward line ahead of this key encounter.
Losing composure
Jurgen Klopp’s side only created one "big chance" from a total of 34 shots against United last Sunday, according to Opta.
Rather than missing a host of sitters, they were instead guilty of rushing too many half chances, lacking composure at critical moments.
This has been a theme of Liverpool's season so far.
No team have attempted more efforts than the Reds from inside and outside the penalty area, so creativity is not an issue.
Yet their accuracy from shots, with just 45.58 per cent hitting the target, ranks only 14th in the division.
Firing 123 shots off target – 39 more than opponents Arsenal - Klopp has been left frustrated by his side’s final third execution on several occasions.
Top teams for shooting stats 23/24
| Team | Inside box | Team | Outside box | Team | Off target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIV | 194 | LIV | 123 | LIV | 123 |
| ARS | 192 | TOT | 94 | EVE | 102 |
| TOT | 185 | MCI | 92 | BRE | 92 |
Big misses
Chelsea have spurned the highest number of "big chances" with 35, but the Reds are only narrowly behind them on 33.
Liverpool have been one of the most wasteful teams in front of goal, having converted 38.89 per cent of them, with 10 other teams boasting an accuracy of 40 per cent or higher.
Many of their gilt-edged opportunities fall to Nunez or Salah, who have registered around 65 per cent of those big chances between them.
Salah continues to be clinical, but Nunez has missed a high proportion of his easier opportunities.
Players with most big chances 23/24
| Player | Total | Total missed | Conversion rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erling Haaland | 28 | 17 | 39.29% |
| Darwin Nunez | 18 | 15 | 16.67% |
| Nicolas Jackson | 18 | 11 | 38.89% |
| Mohamed Salah | 17 | 7 | 58.82% |
Nunez has great pace, good movement and a fierce determination to unsettle defenders, but since joining the club he has lacked composure in front of goal.
If he can develop a more ice-cool temperament, he is playing for a Liverpool side that can easily help him score 25 or more league goals a season.
Others need to step up
It is also important for Diaz and Gakpo to contribute more for Klopp’s side.
Neither has made an assist so far in 2023/24, while they have scored just five Premier League goals between them to this point.
Klopp would also like to see better combination play between his front three.
While Salah and Nunez have struck up a terrific understanding, setting each up for a number of goals and chances, we are yet to see Gakpo, Diaz or Jota link up as effectively.
They have not clicked on a consistent basis with Salah and Nunez, or among themselves.
It feels as if Liverpool are currently heavily reliant on the Salah and Nunez combination, along with pieces of individual brilliance from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Chances created between team-mates
| Player combination | Chances created |
|---|---|
| Salah to Nunez | 18 |
| Nunez to Salah | 8 |
| Diaz to Salah | 5 |
| Salah to Diaz | 4 |
Room for improvement
To maintain a push for the Premier League title Liverpool will need to share the load better between now and the end of the season.
More creativity and chemistry is required at the top end of the pitch, and with the exception of Salah and Jota, the Reds’ attacking players must improve their finishing.
Liverpool forwards' 23/24 stats
| Player | Goals | Chance conversion (%) | Assists | Chances created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salah | 11 | 26.19% | 7 | 41 |
| Nunez | 4 | 10.53% | 5 | 14 |
| Gakpo | 2 | 14.29% | 0 | 6 |
| Diaz | 3 | 15% | 0 | 18 |
| Jota | 4 | 26.67% | 0 | 12 |
Liverpool boast a wonderful record of scoring goals at home to Arsenal, registering an incredible 34 in their last 10 league meetings at Anfield.
Only twice have they failed to score at least three times across a decade of Premier League matches hosting the Gunners.
To maintain that phenomenal return this weekend, Liverpool must produce more cohesion and poise inside the final third than we have seen in recent weeks.
Also in this series
Part 1: How Bailey has played his way into Emery's plans
Part 3: Why Kudus and Paqueta are the perfect pairing