Four questions Jurgen Klopp still needs to answer before Liverpool’s season starts

Liverpool begin their Premier League season at Chelsea this Sunday with Jurgen Klopp’s side desperate to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish

One thing you can predict about Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool this season is that he will be unpredictable.

After a campaign that saw them clinch a domestic cup double and come excruciatingly close to a historic four-way fixture, the Reds clashed in 2022/23. Criticism of an aging and tired team was rife as they eventually finished fifth, missing out on a lucrative Champions League place.

Klopp’s rebuild this summer has included the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but Klopp has also faced numerous expenses, including captain Jordan Henderson and midfield partner Fabinho.

Who will join Virgil van Dijk? For all their erratic form, few can deny that Liverpool were still exciting to watch last season – just ask Manchester United.

More than countering that idea, their tendency was basically to be a back crash. With Virgil van Dijk failing to recapture the perfect form he had displayed prior to his serious injury, Liverpool’s defensive frailties have been exposed all too regularly and, in Real Madrid’s case, brutally.

However, the new captain Van Dijk’s place is not up for discussion, but the question of who will place him in central defense is. Joel Matip has been linked with a departure from Anfield this summer, while Ibrahima Konate is yet to account for the £36m Liverpool paid RB Leipzig two years ago. With Klopp failing to make more defensive reinforcements this summer, how he manages his own squad could be crucial.

The role of Trent Alexander Arnold?

It is not only in central defense that Klopp must perform well in the shock of Stamford Bridge this Sunday.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was heavily reviled for most of the season for his positional play and appeared to fall out of favor with England manager Gareth Southgate. Ultimately, he was hailed as a playmaker in midfield and was once again firmly linked with his national team coach. His mesmerizing performance during Leeds’ 6-1 defeat in April hinted at an exciting glimpse into the future for the 24-year-old. If Klopp feels he has backup – and if that is the keyword here – then surely Alexander-Arnold’s ballplay is simply too good to operate at right-back?

Will Romeo Lavia sign?

After the summer signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, it seemed that the much-hyped Anfield midfield rebuild was almost complete.

But then came the Saudi Pro League and Jordan Henderson and Fabinho went out. With Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain already gone when their contracts expired and Thiago’s injuries still ongoing, Klopp has taken aim at Southampton’s youngster Romeo Lavia.

But the chase turns out to be far from easy. The Championship club have already turned down three offers from Liverpool and are refusing to cut their £50million from the 19-year-old.

Klopp and FSG need to take the plunge and come up with their asking price, right?

How patient can Klopp be with Nunez? It was much easier for Jordan Klopp when his top three of Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino essentially picked themselves.

With two-thirds of that trio now in Saudi Arabia, finding the best trio from an admittedly large list of options will be another determining factor in whether Liverpool can compete again at the top. For all his indisputable qualities, getting the ball into the net for Darwin Nunez still wasn’t easy, and Liverpool cannot afford a total of nine league goals from their number 9.

Salah’s place is certainly secured, but if Nunez continues his loose finish, Klopp probably won’t have long to wait. With Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota also in the ranks, it is clearly possible to complete a three up front without the Uruguayan.