I think Martinez for the first time will go with Besic, McCarthy AND Barry to put up a strong barrier to protect our back 4. With that strong cover I'd want Barkley in there in front of them, confident that if he loses the ball we're not immediately going to be put under the cosh with an attack on our back line. I suspect though that he'd go with Mirallas and Naismith as the two more advanced MFs. Nevertheless Barkley would be handy from the bench. Too often when they've been on top, and particularly when we've gone behind against them, we've looked to the bench and realised there was nothing on it to change things round. Should we go behind, Barkley coming on would lift spirits (irrespective of his current form) and give them something different to think about.
I can't see Martinez changing to a diamond or playing all of Besic, McCarthy and Barry.
Ross has had a break, ideally we would have wanted it to be two or three games but hopefully he's had a rest both physically and mentally and if there's any game to get you up and firing its this one.
It should also be a game to suit him. Liverpool will press high but won't play a high line due to our pace of the attacking third leaving loads of space in the middle for him to exploit.
Hopefully it's the game to kick start his and our season and put a serious dent in their CL ambitions.
We also just need to play him because it will be a fast game with tackles going in as soon as players receive the ball so we need players with a great first touch and quick feet otherwise we'll struggle to hold on to possession long enough to mount an attack.
