Liverpool’s depth makes them FA Cup and Premier League faves

LONDON — Liverpool's 2-0 win at Arsenal to advance deeper into the FA Cup was already impressive enough, but when you consider the appeal of the players who were not involved at the Emirates, it gives an indication of why the Reds are serious contenders in four competitions this season.

The irreplaceable Mohamed Salah had already left for the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt before this FA Cup third round, and midfielder Wataru Endo has also signed for at least a month to join Japan's attempt to win the Asian Cup. But Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was also without Virgil van Dijk, Joël Matip, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Thiago Alcantara, Dominik Szoboszlai and Stefan Bajcetic due to injury or illness.

Yet despite this list of absentees, Liverpool still managed to book their place in the fourth round thanks to the depth of Klopp's squad.

– Stream the FA Cup on ESPN+: Wigan AFC v Man United (Monday, 3 p.m. ET)
– Read on ESPN+: Investigate what's behind Arsenal's sudden downfall

Managers tend to only talk about injuries and the impact they have on a team when their team loses. This is a useful excuse to suggest that the chances of victory are diminished when key players are unavailable. But this sort of deflection tactic doesn't really work when a team like Liverpool can go to Arsenal – the most successful club in the FA Cup – and win without so many crucial players.

It was a big test for Klopp and his players, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta making only limited changes to his first-choice team, but they got through it.

And with a growing fixture schedule ahead – which includes the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League, as well as the challenge of fending off the threat of champions Manchester City at the top of the Premier League – Liverpool have shown they could ride through the storm of injuries, illnesses and international tournaments to keep his foot on the pedal in all four competitions.

Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League table, but being able to overcome such personnel shortages as was the case at Arsenal on Sunday is a sign of a winning team and potential champions.

Manchester United and Newcastle have failed to show the same qualities under managers Erik ten Hag and Eddie Howe respectively this season. Tottenham showed spirit and tenacity under Ange Postecoglou as they attempted to cope with their long injury list, while Man City and Liverpool carried on regardless.

Liverpool and Arsenal's respective teams weren't built on the cheap, so perhaps they simply function as they should given the huge financial outlay, but football often doesn't function as That. Just ask Ten Hag at Man United.

In Liverpool's case, Klopp managed to find a way to make up for it and rely on players performing tasks that would not normally be asked of them.

In Sunday's match, Joe Gomez – a right-footed centre-half – played at left-back due to the absence of Robertson and Tsimikas through injury. Gomez was comfortable all day. Jarell Quansah, the 20-year-old defender, was calm and measured alongside the increasingly impressive Ibrahima Konaté, while Trent Alexander-Arnold produced a dominant performance in his hybrid right-back/midfielder role central.

Alexander-Arnold will never be the greatest defender in the world, but experience allows him to evolve his game and when given time and space in the defensive third he can be just as effective in those positions, especially with such a devastating ability to create with his delivery in attacking positions. Liverpool's first goal, in the 80th minute, came when Gunners defender Jakub Kiwior headed Alexander-Arnold's free-kick into his own net.

In midfield, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott proved to be more than adequate replacements for Szoboszlai and Endo, while Luis Díaz, scorer of Liverpool's second goal in stoppage time, Darwin Núñez and Cody Gakpo provided an attacking threat combined in the absence of top scorer Salah. .

With Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota having made an impact from the substitutes' bench, the Liverpool team's weakness due to their absences ultimately didn't seem like a weakness at all. Rather, it was an opportunity to project their strength.

“It was obvious there would be changes,” Klopp said. “Today the boys bought in and we were able to do it. Not too much, but in the end we managed. I'm really happy and proud that we were able to win this game. Arsenal could have won it without a doubt. We finished it. and it spoke to the character of the boys – Joe Gomez, come on. It was really tough. So many good things happened today.”

Liverpool's resilience will clearly be tested in the coming weeks. Winning without key players in a match, even against a team as strong as Arsenal, is one thing, but being able to do it over a prolonged period is a whole other challenge.

But Liverpool are the real deal and, by winning this game, they have spared themselves the exhausting effects of a tiebreaker replay, so they will be able to refresh and recover with a mini break between the Cup semi-final first leg Carabao on Wednesday against Fulham (live stream on ESPN+) and the Premier League trip to Bournemouth on January 21.

In 2021-21, Klopp's side have played 63 matches – the maximum possible – reaching the finals of the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Champions League. They could do the same this time around if they qualify for both domestic finals and the Europa League final.

This win against Arsenal was the 30th game of their season, so if they repeat the workload from two years ago, they are not even halfway through their campaign. But they have the depth to do it and once they get their unavailable players back, Liverpool will be even stronger.