Klopp may have to fast-track Liverpool striker plan despite Carragher prediction

Jurgen Klopp has a problem.

For the past five years, the Liverpool manager has been able to rely on his famed front three to fire the Reds to glory. But times have changed. One member, Sadio Mane, has already waved goodbye to Anfield and another, Roberto Firmino, continues to falter and show clear signs of decline.

While Mohamed Salah remains on top form, Liverpool's first game of the new Premier League season highlighted how Klopp must evolve his attack not only for the future, but the here and now. The Reds drew 2-2 with Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday to begin their 2022-23 campaign in dower fashion, a result which their boss was happy to take given his side's "rubbish" performance.

But if it wasn't for Firmino's replacement, fellow striker Darwin Nunez, Klopp and co may well have left west London with nothing. Liverpool's new £85million signing grabbed a goal and assist after coming on for Firmino in the 51st minute, demonstrating that it might be time for Klopp to ditch his approach of slowly embedding fresh faces into the starting XI in favour of fast-tracking Nunez.

As Reds legend Jamie Carragher predicted in the lead-up to Saturday's match, the 23-year-old Uruguayan started on the bench, just as he had done for last weekend's Community Shield victory over Manchester City - in which he once again came on to score. "I don't think it'll be too big of a problem actually tomorrow because I think Firmino will play," Carragher declared to Sky Sports.

"Jurgen Klopp has history in terms of bedding new signings in, not putting them in straight away. We seen in the Community Shield, [City striker Erling Haaland] played right away, he didn't. Nunez got the headlines because he scored a goal, got the penalty but Firmino played really well, I expect Firmino to play, it'll almost be a normal Liverpool team."

Indeed it was, but Klopp's faith in the toothless Firmino - who only scored five league goals last term - almost proved to be his downfall, as the 30-year-old Brazilian looked laboured in his usually slick work and was hooked prematurely. Nunez now has three direct goal contributions in just 70 minutes of action for Liverpool, and Klopp reckons that his tally will only increase once the Reds find their groove this season.

Get involved! Who should Klopp start against Crystal Palace - Firmino or Nunez? Let us know your verdict in the comments section.

"Now imagine we would play good, how often we could set him up then?" the German posed post-match. "Because that was obviously our main problem, that our delivery was most of the time not good enough, and that was alright - we had massive chances, it's crazy."

Judging by the state of things ahead of their game against Crystal Palace at Anfield next Monday, Klopp should be making sure that those "massive chances" fall to Nunez - not Firmino.