Trent tweak and Konate impact key to Liverpool's formidable defence

Liverpool’s excellent start to the season under Arne Slot has been built on strong foundations. Wednesday night’s Champions League win over RB Leipzig brought a seventh clean sheet in 12 games. The Premier League leaders have the best record in the division.

Their total of only three goals conceded is half as many as any other side and three times lower than it was at the same stage of last season. They face their toughest test yet against Arsenal on Sunday but a deeper look at the numbers offers further encouragement.

Liverpool have by far the best record in terms of expected goals against. Opponents are struggling to create high-quality chances against them, never mind score. Only Manchester City have allowed fewer opposition touches in their penalty box.

If title wins are built on defences, the early evidence suggests Liverpool, with an increased emphasis on control under Slot, are giving themselves a chance. What’s behind the improvement?

Konate and Van Dijk dominance

Slot picked Jarell Quansah alongside Virgil van Dijk at centre-back for Liverpool’s opener against Ipswich but he was replaced by Ibrahima Konate after an awkward first half and the French international has started every Premier League game since.

Slot’s usage of him differs markedly from Jurgen Klopp’s. He has been more fortunate than his predecessor in the sense that Konate has so far avoided injury. But even when he was fit in previous years, Klopp erred on the side of caution when it came to his playing time.

Konate only started 17 Premier League games in each of the last two seasons. In Klopp’s final campaign in charge, he never started more than four consecutive games in the competition.

That’s changed under Slot. Konate has started 10 of their last 11 games in all competitions. The consistency of selection seems to have helped. “He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better to be ready every three days,” said Van Dijk.

One area in which they have been particularly dominant is in the air. Of players to have contested a minimum of 10 aerial duels in the Premier League this season, Konate’s success rate of 83 per cent is the best in the division. Van Dijk is not far behind him on 74 per cent.

Their aerial prowess has been particularly useful at set-pieces; partly in an attacking sense, with both players scoring from dead-ball situations in the 3-1 win over AC Milan in Liverpool’s first Champions League game, but even more so defensively.

Liverpool are one of only two sides, along with Brentford, yet to concede from a set-piece. Last season, by comparison, they conceded a set-piece goal every four games on average.

Konate, second only to Van Dijk for headed clearances among Liverpool players, has played a significant role. Liverpool supporters will be hoping, given his injury history, that his body stands up to the added workload but the early signs are promising.

Gravenberch excelling in new role

Konate and Van Dijk are not the only ones dominating aerially. Ryan Gravenberch, excellent since moving into the No 6 role under Slot, has been similarly effective, posting a duel success rate only slightly lower than Konate’s and further enhancing the side’s physicality.

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It is one of many ways in which the Dutch international is helping Liverpool. He still operates primarily in the opposition half, his technical quality and passing ability helping Slot’s side pin opponents back. But his activity in his own half has increased significantly. The win over RB Leipzig was just the latest in which he has impressed defensively.

A favourable fixture list has probably helped him bed into the role, having mostly been used as a No 8 by Klopp. But initial doubts about his suitability to the position have been eased.

His ball-winning ability has become a major feature of Liverpool’s approach. Gravenberch is asked to screen Slot’s defence but he is also encouraged to press in more advanced areas. As such, he ranks third in the league for possessions won and top among midfielders.

He has coped well in one-against-ones too. Gravenberch has only been dribbled past four times in eight Premier League games so far, while no Liverpool player has made more tackles and interceptions combined. The result is that Slot’s defence is rarely left exposed.

Switch of focus for Trent

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing and dead-ball delivery continue to delight supporters. He is joint-top among Liverpool players for chances created this season, with 16. He only has one assist but his ‘expected’ total of 2.55 is the fourth-highest in the Premier League.

While he remains a creative force, though, his role has changed under Slot. Gravenberch’s introduction in midfield has allowed the Liverpool boss to use Alexander-Arnold more like a conventional full-back. He has less responsibility in central zones.

On the one hand, it means less time on the ball for Alexander-Arnold. His numbers for touches and passes are way down from last season. But on the other, it means less exposure defensively.

The 26-year-old never looked truly comfortable out of possession when tucking inside and the numbers support the feeling that he is more at ease following the shift in emphasis. He is being dribbled past far less and making considerably more tackles.

It was all there in the 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday. Although not as influential as usual in an attacking sense, Alexander-Arnold played an important role in shackling Jadon Sancho in the first half and Pedro Neto in the second on Chelsea’s left flank. He dealt well with RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons on Wednesday too.

His defensive work, often criticised, has been impressive this term.

Less chaos, more control

In addition to various tactical changes implemented by Slot, there is the overarching importance of playing style. A more measured approach means less turbulence in games.

The emphasis on control over chaos was articulated by Sky Sports‘ Jamie Carrager in August. “Last season was a rollercoaster ride for supporters; late goals, coming from behind. It felt like every game was like a cup final,” he said after their 2-0 win over Brentford.

“Liverpool needed more games like this last season. This was almost like a Manchester City performance in that the game felt over when the second goal went in. There was no jeopardy.

“Arne Slot’s Liverpool aren’t going to be as exciting as Jurgen Klopp’s – that’s impossible. But it still might prove to be as successful if not more successful than last season. If Liverpool win more games like this today, 2-0, comfortable, then it’ll put them in a great position.”

Liverpool have proceeded to do exactly that, with Slot having made the best start by any manager in Liverpool’s history.

Arsenal toughest test yet

Sunday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium, where they were beaten 3-1 in February, will be Liverpool’s sternest examination yet. Before the win over Chelsea, they had not faced any of last season’s top six.

But the manner in which they have handled their last two assignments, against RB Leipzig as well as Chelsea, bodes well for them. And while they have injury concerns of their own, now feels like a good time to face the depleted Gunners.

Riccardo Calafiori became the latest Arsenal player to succumb to injury against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night. William Saliba is suspended following his red card against Bournemouth, while doubts remain over Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu is out.

Mohamed Salah, in particular, will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing a makeshift left-back and there are concerns for Mikel Arteta at the other end of the pitch too, with Martin Odegaard unlikely to be fit and Bukayo Saka in a race to be available.

Saka and Odegaard would be huge misses for Arsenal. Especially given Liverpool’s new-found defensive strength under Slot.

Watch Arsenal vs Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 4pm on Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm