Alex Keble's Talking Tactics: Tactical questions ahead of the European matches for Premier League clubs

1) Will Liverpool’s frantic pressing unsettle struggling left-back Escudero?

The energy and rhythm of Liverpool’s attacking play at the weekend was Jurgen Klopp football at its best, which will surely worry a Sevilla side who have lost three of their last five league games. As Southampton found out on Saturday, Philippe Coutinho forces the midfield out of shape with late runs from a deep false-eight position, which in turn creates extra space for their three fluid forwards. This will be particularly problematic on Liverpool's right.

Sevilla left-back Sergio Escudero has been struggling for form of late, averaging just 2.2 tackles and 1.4 interceptions across his last four matches in the league and Champions League, looking very unconvincing in the majority of these games. His worst performance was against Barcelona, when his dreadful volleyed back pass gave Paco Alcacer a tap-in.

The Premier League's top goalscorer Mohamed Salah will no doubt be instructed to attack Escudero and put him under continuous pressure in the hopes of unsettling him; Liverpool’s excellent high pressing, led by that front three, might just force another error from the 28-year-old. Unlike Southampton, of whom Klopp said after the match he "didn’t find one weakness position-wise" when preparing his team, Sevilla have an obvious target at the back.

2) Can Hazard’s off-the-shoulder runs beat Sehic?

Antonio Conte has delivered on the tactical evolution he promised at the end of the 2016/17 campaign, when he correctly identified that opponents were beginning to effectively counter his 3-4-2-1 formation. Having hinted at a two-striker system by playing Michy Batshuayi alongside Diego Costa as the season wound down, Conte has now embraced this tactic by using Eden Hazard as a second striker.

In a 3-5-1-1 formation, Hazard both roams in the number ten space and makes runs ahead of Alvaro Morata, as he did for both of his goals against West Brom at the weekend. The change has also allowed Conte to field a third central midfielder, usually Cesc Fabregas, to add more control in the centre now that opponents are sitting deeper to nullify Chelsea's preference for counter-attacks.

Qarabag FK might seem like easy opponents for Chelsea but they drew twice against Atletico Madrid, with goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic the star on both occasions (he has made 21 saves in four matches, the second most in the competition). Hazard will no doubt find space in behind (Qarabag will sit deep just as West Brom did) and so the Belgian's success depends upon his one-on-one battle with Sehic.

3) Can Spurs rediscover their energy to punish a confidence-stricken Dortmund?

Borussia Dortmund are in deep trouble at the moment, having lost each of their last three Bundesliga matches and only drawing 1-1 with APOEL in the Champions League last month. This is a vulnerable team who should be easy taken apart if Spurs can repeat the deep-lying counter-attacking tactics that helped them win 3-1 at Wembley in September, but it remains to be seen whether Mauricio Pochettino’s team have enough energy or fight in them to take the points.

Injuries clearly affected Spurs in their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday, but nevertheless their performance was a very alarming sign given how packed the fixture list gets around this time of year. Dele Alli was once again a passenger, floating harmlessly alongside Harry Kane as he has done all too often this season, while Mouossa Sissoko and Moussa Dembele were very flat. Neither showed the mobility or bravery needed to dominate midfield, making just three tackles and four interceptions between them all match.

Harry Winks must start for the visitors on Tuesday. Things might be easier playing as the under-dogs (sitting deep is simpler for someone as wayward as Sissoko) but Dortmund will be desperate to ensure they qualify for the Europa League. Another lacklustre display from Spurs and doubt will start creeping in.

4) Will Pogba’s clipped through balls break down a stubborn Basel defence?

Manchester United have traditionally struggled in European away games since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure; despite winning the Europa League last season they scored just seven goals and won only two of their seven away matches. FC Basel will not be easy opponents, happily sitting deep when necessary and forcing United to raise the tempo of their game.

Fortunately for the visitors Paul Pogba is back in action and back in form. He is exactly the sort of player needed to break through a stubborn defence, not just for his high-tempo passing but his clipped vertical balls into the penalty area. The Frenchman has a unique ability cross the ball from the centre of the park, lofting passes into dangerous corridors of space that force deeper defences to back-peddle. Romelu Lukaku will be delighted to have his partner back, and together they will be far too strong for young Basel centre-back’s Eder Balanta and Manuel Akanji.

5) How many can varied Man City put past hapless Feyenoord?

There are simply no flaws in this Manchester City team, who proved once again at Leicester City that they can score from any area of the team. If Feyenoord press high City will counter-attack behind them, but if they sit deep Pep Guardiola’s team will simply play one-touch football through them – or, fail that, score a long-range screamer like Kevin de Bruyne did last weekend.

Feyenoord have conceded at least three goals in all four of their Champions League games this season and travel to the Etihad at the worst possible moment – on the back of five successive league games without a win. Giovanni van Bronkhorst is under considerable pressure, and in such fragile form it seems almost impossible for their haphazard formation to stop a City side in full flow. The only question is: just how embarrassing will it get?