Big Liverpool problem may have already been solved after Merson notes international break advantage

Sound the trumpets - Liverpool may very well be BACK come October 1.

Not that the Reds ever left. Certainly, being only nine points behind league leaders Arsenal with a game-in-hand hardly suggests that the current league campaign is a write-off.

Nevertheless, we’ve yet to see the kind of swashbuckling, dominant Liverpool we witnessed for much of 2021/22 season with inconsistent and, at times, appalling displays the norm since the latest summer window drew to a close.

The absence of Sadio Mané has been pointed to by some pundits keen to emphasise the difficulty of transitioning Darwin Núñez to life in the English top-flight after losing such a key figure on the pitch and in the dressing room.

Darwin Núñez will be hoping to kick on for Liverpool after his start to life at Anfield was disrupted by a three-game suspension

Whilst a valid point on its own, it fails to reflect the impact of a severe array of injuries across the park, which has left the midfield struggling to cope with the many questions asked of it.

The availability of Jordan Henderson, however, has heralded the return of a more balance trio in the middle of the park, with Paul Merson noting that the international break has done Liverpool a rare favour.

“Liverpool's players have not featured heavily in the international break,” the former Arsenal favourite wrote in his column for Sportskeeda.

“Fabinho played only 70 minutes for Brazil, but he has travelled quite a bit.

“Thiago wasn't picked by Spain for their Nations League fixtures, and he'll be fresh going into this game.”

With Fabinho having been accused of some lacklustre displays for Klopp’s men so far, the opportunity for rest could prove invaluable ahead of a busy month of fixtures in October (nine, to be precise).

Likewise, with Thiago Alcântara’s fitness proving unreliable, time away from the Spanish national team, though utterly inexplicable in light of his obvious quality, can only mean good news.

With our midfield department looking refreshed and stacked with alternative options for selection heading into the clash with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, it’s hard not to imagine Liverpool enjoying a significant (and consistent) upturn in form.

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