Return of the dreaded Double-DM?

No, not two Dungeon Masters. Although that would be equally dreaded, if not more so. But how about two Defensive Midfielders this evening?

Now before you start ringing up the authorities and demanding they find the location of my lost marbles, hear me out.

I don't see how we can play this match in Rodgers' normal preferred style. Whoever gets selected in the back line, there won't be any pace there other than James Justin. So I can't see how we're going to be able to defend effectively without having a deep line. Without being able to push up, we'd then need to allow Sheffield United onto us a bit more - pressing them will just open up the space in behind us and the lack of recovery ability. This then leads onto how I think we need to adjust our style: Instead of a patient, passing style, I say sit deep and hit our opponents on the counter.

In general play, go direct and don't be afraid of conceding possession.

If we're going to play on the counter, I then say we need pace to exploit any gaps that appear behind our opponents. So give Barnes and Gray starts on the wings. Defensively, instruct them to keep an eye on Sheffield United's infamous overlapping centre backs (TradeMark Chris Wilder 2019), but otherwise they're holding a line and looking to break.

In the centre, it's pretty obvious that Ndidi and Tielemans will and should start, but then who with them? I'll put this out there: Start Hamza Choudhury. No, hear me out. We know that Dennis Praet will get hauled if he starts anyway, and we need to consider the second half as well as the first. Tell Choudhury to not worry about tiring himself out because he's going to end up being replaced anyway - for any of Praet, Mendy or Perez depending on situation. But we have someone there who doesn't mind a tackle and could instigate a counterattack.

We then have Iheanacho, Perez, Praet and possibly Albrighton ready to change things up in the second half, a trigger that can be pulled at the key moment without having to worry about having no replacements for them in the second half. We have an attacking plan ready to implement from half time onward, albeit one that would involve considerable risk at the other end as well as our defence would be afforded far less protection in a change-up 3-4-1-2.

My starting line-up for tonight:

Schmeichel
Justin, Evans, Morgan, Fuchs
Ndidi, Choudhury
Gray, Tielemans, Barnes
Vardy

Bench:
Ward, Bennett (if we must), Mendy, James (!), Praet, Perez, Iheanacho, Albrighton/Thomas, [some bloke off the street]