Liverpool are next up against RB Leipzig in the Champions League with Arne Slot facing some selection posers
Liverpool secured a 10th win in 11 games under new coach Arne Slot with a 2-1 Premier League victory over Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. Mohamed Salah notched a first-half penalty before Curtis Jones struck the winner shortly after Nicolas Jackson had equalised.
Liverpool will now turn their attention to the Champions League when they are at RB Leipzig on Wednesday evening aiming to maintain their 100% start to the competition’s opening phase.
And here we look ahead to the changes Slot could make when his team are next in action.
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Full-back change?
With Sunday’s game the first of seven in 20 days, Slot will have to use his full squad before the final international break of the year next month.
Caoimhin Kelleher returned to the starting line-up against Chelsea and, with Alisson Becker out for at least the next month, is expected to keep the jersey ahead of Vitezslav Jaros.
Slot, though, will have decisions to make in both full-back positions. Kostas Tsimikas has rotated regularly with Andy Robertson at left-back and could make his second Champions League start of the campaign, while Trent Alexander-Arnold almost missed out at right-back on Sunday due to fitness concerns. With Conor Bradley expected to be out for a few weeks, Joe Gomez is on standby.
In central defence, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have been the mainstays with Jarell Quansah patiently awaiting another opportunity that will more likely come in the League Cup next midweek at Brighton.
Szoboszlai question
The form of Curtis Jones against Chelsea makes it difficult to leave out the midfielder having impressed in a deeper role alongside Ryan Gravenberch.
Gravenberch has started all but one game this season and could be due a breather, with Alexis Mac Allister pushing for a recall having only been fit enough for the bench at the weekend.
Wataru Endo, another number six option, has seen his first-team opportunities limited this season, although that he spent several years in Germany when at Stuttgart could work in his favour on Wednesday.
With Harvey Elliott still yet to return, both Mac Allister and Jones will also be challenging Dominik Szoboszlai for the number 10 role. The Hungarian struggled at times against Chelsea but will be keen to feature against his former team. Tyler Morton and Trey Nyoni are the other alternatives in the engine room.
Jota wait
Slot’s immediate prognosis for Diogo Jota suggests the Portuguese will be absent in Germany, opening the door for Darwin Nunez to make only his fourth start of the season down the centre of the attack.
Luis Diaz will be pressing Cody Gakpo for a place on the left having been benched for the last two games, while Mohamed Salah is likely to continue on the right with Federico Chiesa having missed the last few weeks through injury.
