As weeks go, it doesn’t get a lot larger than the visits of Actual Madrid and Man Metropolis within the house of simply 5 days – and it leaves Arne Slot with lots to consider.
Liverpool returned from the worldwide break with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Southampton, with Mohamed Salah‘s wild celebration talking volumes of the significance of these three factors.
It means the Reds head into this week with an opportunity to all however assure their place within the knockout phases of the Champions League and set up an 11-point lead over Metropolis within the league.
Anfield is poised for 2 feral nights below the lights, however whereas all of us get mentally and emotionally ready for the massive week forward, Slot has some necessary selections to make.
Who will get the nod at left-back?
Kostas Tsimikas was unavailable in opposition to Southampton because of a knock, however one would anticipate him to be again in competition from Actual Madrid‘s go to onwards.
Beforehand, we wouldn’t have batted an eye fixed at Andy Robertson beginning three video games in a row in a single week, however he’s now 30 and is coming off the again of an intense worldwide break.
There isn’t a method he can maintain a excessive stage of efficiency by taking part in in each video games this week.
So, the query is does Slot maintain the veteran in place for the go to of the reigning La Liga champions after which introduce Tsimikas in opposition to Metropolis? Or does he rotate in every recreation?
If it have been as much as some followers, the staff that faces Actual would name for a plethora of youthful faces because the precedence lies with Metropolis on Sunday, such is our sturdy place in Europe.
Contemplating how Slot has used his left-backs up to now, it suggests we’ll see Tsimikas restored to the lineup on Wednesday – so long as he’s match – and Robertson chosen to face Metropolis.
How one can rotate the ahead line?
With Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa but to return to the rotation pool, Slot will once more be deciding on from Mo Salah, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.
Although, we will definitely lock Salah in for each beginning lineups having been named on the bench simply twice this season – there’s no method he’s lacking out right here.
That leaves query marks over who assumes the function on the left wing and who occupies the central function, but when I have been Slot, that is what I’d select:
To make this occur, Diaz could be subbed across the 60-minute mark on Wednesday for Nunez – affording him some relaxation earlier than beginning on the left wing on the weekend.
Time will inform if Jota might be thought of for a job however, because it stands, this feels one of the simplest ways to go about it up high.
Will injured gamers be welcomed again?
Trent Alexander-Arnold (hamstring), Jota (rib), Alisson (hamstring) and Chiesa (health) are presently on the damage record, however all have been making optimistic progress.
Slot and Co. will know to not rush any of them again into the fold because the schedule extends effectively past these two fixtures, however there might be consideration wanted for potential involvement.
The optimistic is that these presently filling in are performing admirably, that means there isn’t a rush to push the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher and Conor Bradley out of the facet.
As a listing of priorities go, the main focus needs to be on Metropolis even when any of the injured quartet are ‘prepared’ to face Madrid – at most, appearances off the bench in midweek will definitely do.
Whereas we’re all keen to provide Actual a style of what they’ve given us in recent times, it’s merely not the time to be forcing something.
