The narrative of Liverpool's season so far has seen them battle against some of the biggest sides both domestically and across Europe, as well as overcome tough away matches against teams that have caused them problems in the past.

From West Ham United to Manchester City, via Paris-Saint Germain, Tottenham and Crystal Palace, the Reds' start to the season has been far from straightforward.

Nevertheless, they have traversed to the other side joint-top of the Premier League and in a promising position to qualify from their Champions League group.

It follows on from a season that saw them narrowly miss out on becoming European champions for the sixth time, with progress being made year on year under Jurgen Klopp.

Forgotten man

One man who has largely been discarded from the minds of many among the optimism is Adam Lallana, a stalwart in the early days of Klopp’s tenure, but a man who only appeared a handful of times last season thanks to a series of unfortunate injuries.

Now, though, with the Reds facing matches from now until Christmas – Arsenal and Manchester United aside – that they will go into as heavy favourites, the requirement for robust midfielders evolves into a necessity for creativity.

If Liverpool are to win the Premier League at long last, they will possibly need to win their nine games against teams outside the top-six between now and Boxing Day, such is the standard that Manchester City have set; getting three points against those teams outside the elite requires a different skillset. 

Short-term vacancy

Liverpool's front three are yet to fire on all cylinders, but the key to unlocking them lies in the midfield area. 

As much as Gini Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson and James Milner have been impressive to varying degrees this season, they have only scored two league goals between them for the Reds (one from the penalty spot) in that time and are all similar players – that’s where Lallana comes in.

As it is, a genuine link between midfield and attack is absent; Lallana can be the man to fill that void in the short-term. Injuries and his age suggest that he will not be able to be Klopp's long-term solution – but he doesn’t need to be.

In time, Naby Keita will be that man, but while he adapts, Lallana can step in and deputise. The question is over his fitness, not his quality, and he would only have to start for a few games to allow Keita to recover from injury and settle in, and then a bench role will become more appropriate.

England's Player of the Year for 2016 can provide the runs from midfield beyond the front three that stretches teams and causes another avenue of havoc.

He not only makes the midfield more effective but indirectly helps Mo Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino by distracting opposition defenders and posing them an additional problem.

Having Lallana in the team would also allow Firmino to play higher up the field. His deeper position at the moment has been painted as a tactical ploy, when he is, in fact, dropping in as a necessity, attempting to create as well as score in a team sorely missing creative sparks from deeper positions. 

Lallana was second only to Milner in Liverpool's pre-season fitness tests; he should be able to come in and out of the team for the next few weeks when his innovation and imagination is required. 

He has been training without playing for a couple of weeks as Liverpool try and build his fitness – they recognise the role that he needs to have, inducting him on a mini pre-season to get him back into rhythm.

With few top teams to come in the run that goes between this international break and the next one which is just a month away, creativity, not robustness, will be the order of the day.

Few provide that from the centre of the park better than Adam Lallana. 

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