Jamie Carragher spots a tactic he’s ‘never seen before’ while analysing Arne Slot’s new-look Liverpool… and it leaves co-pundit Gary Neville baffled over the Dutchman’s methods

Jamie Carragher left Gary Neville scratching his head during Monday Night Football after the ex-Liverpool defender picked up on an interesting tactic which he stated he’d ‘never seen before’ while analysing Arne Slot‘s new-look Liverpoool side.

Liverpool got their Premier League season off to a flying start after they claimed a 2-0 win against newly promoted side Ipswich on Saturday, with Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah both scoring.

Much intrigue has revolved around what brand of football Slot will brand on his team this season, with the Dutchman taking the reins off Jurgen Klopp earlier in the summer.

The ex-Feyenoord boss has previously been described as an ‘attack-minded coach’ with the manager having wowed fans at Feyenoord with his exciting and fast brand of football.

During Monday Night Football, Carragher interestingly pointed out that Liverpool’s defenders were playing much narrower and were rotating in and out of position.

The positional change also left Gary Neville scratching his head on Monday Night Football

At one point during their match at Portman Road, Andy Robertson appeared to peel off the left wing and circle around centre back Virgil van Dijk, who was in possession.

The move left Carragher scratching his head, with the former Reds defender stating it was something he had never seen before.

‘I think the natural thing here as the ball is going round the back, considering Ipswich are playing with a front four to press, would be Andy Robertson to come here [push wide],’ Carragher said to Sky Sports on the left back’s movements.

‘But what’s really interesting is to watch where he goes to receive the ball and help Virgil van Dijk. [It’s] something I’ve never really seen before. Going around the back of him! Hopefully, we’ll understand at some stage…

Neville, meanwhile, was left confused by why the Scottish full back would make such a run. He added that Van Dijk should just use his goalkeeper, Alisson, instead.

‘Stop there now…’ the former Man United defender said. ‘I marvel at these players and how teams play out from the back.

Carragher noticed that Andy Robertson (right) had peeled off to recieve the ball behind Virgil van Dijk (in possession) instead of stretching the play

Carragher stated that he had ‘never seen the tactic before’ while Neville stated that Van Dijk should just play the ball to Alisson in goal 

Carragher noted that Liverpool’s new manager had instructed his back four to play more narrow

‘But I wonder what is the benefit that you’re trying to look for there? What’s the advantage? You’ve got Alisson there who can do that exact same job.

‘Why would Arne Slot coach Robertson to run behind Van Dijk into the space where Alisson can do that job? What advantage has he seen there for his team?’

Carragher responded: ‘Listen, this is new to us I’ll ask Arne Slot, hopefully, I’m interviewing him ahead of next week’s game against Brentford. But he definitely likes to use the centre of the pitch. He’s always got numbers centrally.

He added: ‘I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of it. But Robertson did that which I found very interesting.’

Carragher moved on to explain a separate moment in the game, highlighting how Liverpool’s back four were sitting very narrow, while in possession.

Under Klopp, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robertson were at times encouraged to stretch the play wider to both wings and provide additional support to their wingers.

The Sky Sports pundit also noticed how Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were not stretching out wide to each wing

‘I thought it was interesting the positions that they take up. Now Virgil van Dijk makes a movement to create space for [a passing option to Robertson], but also to create another passing option for his goalkeeper.

‘Again, you go back to seeing these rotations in other areas of the pitch but we’re now seeing it in Liverpool’s back four so it might be something to keep an eye on.

‘When I talk about the narrow back four, it wasn’t just in terms of the build-up around the back,’ Carragher noted, highlighting how Liverpool’s defenders were also occupying a very narrow space on the halfway line, as they looked to mount an attack on Ipswich.

But even Carragher was perplexed as to why Robertson and Alexander-Arnold were not stretching the play and moving towards either wing.

‘Every coach I have played with would have told me to get out here,’ he said, drawing an arrow from Robertson’s position on the pitch towards the wing.

Diogo Jota (pictured) opened the scoring for Liverpool, dinking in a cross from Mohamed Salah 

Salah would get on the score sheet too just five minutes later, having now scored a record nine times on the opening weekend of the Premier League

‘Stretch that front four of Ipswich who are trying to press you. Open it up and you can get out and go forward.

‘Arne Slot likes to play through the centre.’