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Liverpool have been one of the most talked about teams in world football since Jurgen Klopp took charge.
The Reds missed out on the Premier League title by a solitary point to Manchester City but finished the season on a high as they were crowned kings of the continent.
Although their front-three and back-line have received wide-spread praise in recent seasons, the trio in midfield have hardly been talked about in the same light despite being incredibly efficient for over a year now.
The likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum have all played instrumental roles as the Reds reached back-to-back Champions League final, winning it in 2018.
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Liverpool's midfield is by no means the most flamboyant on paper but their immense work-rate and tactical discipline brings the best out of the rest of the team.
With the Reds gunning for Premier League glory, let's assess their options and look at their ideal combination in midfield.
Fabinho - Defensive midfield
After experiencing heartbreak in the Champions League final against Real Madrid, Liverpool wasted no time as they began preparations for the following season.
Less than 48 hours after that night in Kyiv, the Merseyside giants announced the capture of Fabinho from Monaco for a fee believed to be in the region of £40 million. A pedigreed defensive midfielder was a top priority for Jurgen Klopp and the Brazilian led an exclusive list of three names. Although he struggled to come to terms with the pace of football in England, Fabinho patiently waited for his chance as he worked on his shortcomings behind the scenes.
The 25-year-old put his initial woes behind him and produced strong performances after being handed his full Premier League debut in October. Fabinho became an indispensable member of Jurgen Klopp's side that went on to amass 97 points in the league and the Brazilian kept growing in stature as the season progressed. He was a mainstay in midfield as Liverpool went on to the win the Champions League, beating Spurs 2-0 in Madrid.
The Brazilian is one of the first names on the team-sheet and is widely regarded as one of the best in the business.
Jordan Henderson - Right central midfield
Jordan Henderson has had his abilities as a captain and a player questioned countless times over the course of his Liverpool career. The Englishman took over the reigns from the iconic Steven Gerrard and although it could be argued that he had big shoes to fill, Henderson continued to divide opinion amongst the fans.
As Liverpool amassed 97 points in the league and achieved European glory, Henderson really came of age and led from the front in the business end of the season. With the addition of Fabinho, Henderson has been stationed as one of the free No.8's, a role that happens to suit his abilities perfectly.
The 28-year-old is entering his prime and will look play an instrumental role as Liverpool covet the Premier League title that has eluded them for 29 years now.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Left central midfield
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's Liverpool career has been topsy-turvy to say the least. After swapping North-London for Merseyside in the summer of 2017, the Englishman struggled to come to terms with Jurgen Klopp's brand of football and failed to nail down a spot in the starting XI.
Philippe Coutinho's departure in January 2018 worked out to be a blessing in disguise for Liverpool as Oxlade-Chamberlain replicated the Brazilian's attacking output whilst playing a key role defensively.
The dynamic midfielder was instrumental in Liverpool's Champions League run, famously scoring a long-range screamer at Anfield against Manchester City in the quarter-final.
Aside from his ability to contribute in the final-third, Oxlade-Chamberlain's drive from midfield and his defensive work-rate made him an indispensable member of Klopp's plans.
The former Arsenal man is back after a long absence and will look to force his way back in to the manager's plans and the Reds look to compete on all fronts next season.
His qualities fall in line with what Klopp expects from a dynamic midfielder, making him the ideal candidate to start alongside Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
