Liverpool's Alternative Front 3 Could Help Them Dominate English Football

Liverpool's squad depth this season is honestly quite frightening.

Their back-up brigade scored seven goals on Thursday night with a win over Lincoln City. Admittedly, it was only Lincoln, but still, seven goals without their talismanic trio is quite impressive.

The Reds looked unstoppable for large parts of last season as they dominated the Premier League, eventually winning by a mammoth 18 points. Some believed that they were good enough to win the double or even the treble. So what stopped them from challenging for everything?

Rotation. That's it. They suffered in other competitions because they didn't have enough depth to rotate against the so-called 'weaker' sides, meaning their extraordinary first team was overworked. This year's different though. Unfortunately for everyone else, they're even stronger.

Now that Liverpool have added Thiago Alcântara - who is arguably the best midfielder in world football at the moment - as well as the talented Diogo Jota and left-back Kostas Tsimikas to their squad, they have the depth needed to dominate English football for years to come. They could even replicate the Liverpool of old.

The biggest beneficiaries of this new found squad depth will undoubtedly be their front three. The world-class Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané have been the main source of goals under Jürgen Klopp, but they could do with a well-deserved rest.

Playing so many minutes takes its toll on the body. We've already seen this with Firmino, who struggled to score goals in the latter part of last season as a result of running out of fuel.

Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi were the only suitable attacking options on Liverpool's bench last term. Shaqiri spent most of his season recovering from injury, making just 11 appearances for the Reds' in all competitions. On the other hand, Origi might be a cult hero but he isn't good enough to regularly step in and lead the line.

Liverpool fans have always worried what will happen if any of their forwards pick up an injury. Well, they don't need to panic anymore.

An exciting new trio of a fit again Shaqiri, a maturing Takumi Minamino, and big-money signing Jota, could play together and form the alternative front three.

Though Liverpool could be tempted to sell Shaqiri if a serious offer comes in for him, Klopp will want to keep the Swiss international in the short-term at least, especially because he is a proven option and a winner.

Minamino has seen a lot more action since football returned following the coronavirus-enforced absence, and is developing into a fine talent who is more than capable of slotting in for Firmino where necessary. Meanwhile, Jota - who impressed in his debut against Lincoln on Thursday night -offers a lot to Klopp's side in the wide areas.

We know that this three cannot boast the sheer numbers of Salah, Firmino and Mané, and perhaps they never will reach those remarkable heights. However, they are definitely effective options who are capable of doing a job when called upon.

The alternative front three have an important role to play this season. Retaining a title is difficult, dominating English football is even more difficult. Clever rotation is the key to establishing the dynasty that Liverpool want to impose.

We can expect a lot more trophies on Merseyside, especially now that their squad is the strongest it has ever been in the Premier League era.