Elite Liverpool playmaker is back and he's about to give Jürgen Klopp a giant selection headache
Liverpool will not be complaining about having options again when domestic action returns. But Jürgen Klopp was just reminded of an enormous looming dilemma.
It was a heartening victory for Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp. Having performed well for most of the first half against Lyon, only to fall to defeat, there were shades of the same old problems. So a comfortable 4-1 triumph over Milan was just what the doctor ordered as a return to competitive action looms large.
The press looked coordinated and effective again, just as it did against the French outfit. For many, that's the best playmaker Liverpool have at their disposal. But Klopp was also reminded of another creative force — a player who is about to cause the manager's biggest dilemma in a very long time.
Mohamed Salah seems to be back among the goals, which is an encouraging development. But he can only take limited credit for the opener against Milan. It was laid on a plate by Joël Matip.
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Not many centre-backs have a trademark attacking move, but this was vintage Matip. Busting through the Milan lines in a run that began in his own half and never stopped, he was on the edge of the penalty area in just a few big strides. Then there was the composure to play a neat one-two with Roberto Firmino, before knocking it over to Salah to finish off.
Had Jude Bellingham done it, transfer clamour would have increased even further. It would not have looked out of place on a Steven Gerrard highlights reel. And yet this was Matip, the Liverpool centre-back who teams still simply cannot handle when he decides to go on an adventure.
Absent through injury for the six Premier League games prior to the World Cup break, he has benefitted from the mid-season training camp, and now looks raring to go. That's just as well, given that Ibrahima Konaté is still away at the tournament, with Virgil van Dijk only just back. Matip and Joe Gomez look like a reasonable bet for the Manchester City game.
Beyond that, though, it is anyone's guess what Klopp might do. Van Dijk is surely an automatic pick once he is back among the fold. And with his antics at the World Cup, Konaté has made a compelling pitch for inclusion. But how can Matip be left out?
Defensively, he is reliable as they come. He looked better than Van Dijk for significant chunks of last season, and his costly mistakes since joining Liverpool can be counted on one hand. As yet, there have been zero signs of decline.
Then there is the attacking threat, which he reminded everyone of against Milan. For now, Konaté does not have that in the locker to anywhere near the same extent. But what the Frenchman does have is the Van Dijk aura of invincibility, with his massive frame and unerring pace making him a total nightmare to bypass.
So, pick between those two. It's a near-enough impossible task. And poor Joe Gomez hasn't even got a mention yet, despite being hugely impressive in the win and clean sheet against Manchester City in October. In theory, he and Konaté are meant to be the future back line, and if that is the case then Klopp surely needs to think about giving them some game time together.
One way or another, a truly elite player is going to have to miss out. The answer, of course, is to rotate, as Klopp managed to do so adeptly last season. But it will be a real challenge to consistently pick the right man for the right occasion.
Amid all the justified World Cup hype, it is easy to give Konaté the edge over his senior colleague for the biggest matches. But Matip has provided a timely reminder that Klopp still needs to think twice — he is Liverpool's deceptively crucial playmaker, and he continues to offer a uniquely brilliant set of skills.
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