The Premier League returned for the 2020/21 season and gameweek one saw the clash of two of last season’s champions. Leeds United were back in the top flight after 16 years and Marcelo Bielsa had brought them back up in some style, winning the Championship the season before. Liverpool, on the other hand, were back to defend their crown after a dominant 2019/20 campaign. Jürgen Klopp was at the forefront of the Anfield outfit’s climb back to the pinnacle of not only English but world football as well. In this tactical analysis, we will look at the tactics of both Liverpool and Leeds United in what proved to be a captivating fixture.
Lineups
Klopp’s side started off with a 4-3-3 formation with their famed front three of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah leading the line. Naby Keïta started in midfield while Joe Gomez was the preferred partner at centre-back for Virgil van Dijk.
Bielsa set up his Leeds United side in a 4-1-4-1, with Kalvin Phillips playing as the defensive midfielder. The Englishman’s impressive performances earned him a call up to the national squad for the recent string of Nations League fixtures. New signing Robin Koch also started his first game since arriving from SC Freiburg while Patrick Bamford led the line ahead of the latest signing, Rodrigo.
