As weeks go, it doesn’t get a lot larger than the visits of Actual Madrid and Man Metropolis within the area of simply 5 days – and it leaves Arne Slot with a lot 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 beneath the lights, however whereas all of us get mentally and emotionally ready for the large week forward, Slot has some necessary choices to make.
Who will get the nod at left-back?
Kostas Tsimikas was unavailable towards Southampton on account 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 manner he can maintain a excessive degree of efficiency by taking part in in each video games this week.
So, the query is does Slot hold the veteran in place for the go to of the reigning La Liga champions after which introduce Tsimikas towards Metropolis? Or does he rotate in every sport?
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 robust place in Europe.
Contemplating how Slot has used his left-backs to this point, it suggests we are going to see Tsimikas restored to the lineup on Wednesday – so long as he’s match – and Robertson chosen to face Metropolis.
The best way to rotate the ahead line?
With Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa but to return to the rotation pool, Slot will once more be choosing 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 manner 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 might select:
To make this occur, Diaz can 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 may be thought of for a job however, because it stands, this feels one of the best ways to go about it up prime.
Will injured gamers be welcomed again?
Trent Alexander-Arnold (hamstring), Jota (rib), Alisson (hamstring) and Chiesa (health) are at the moment on the damage record, however all have been making constructive progress.
Slot and Co. will know to not rush any of them again into the fold because the schedule extends nicely past these two fixtures, however there might be consideration wanted for potential involvement.
The constructive is that these at the moment filling in are performing admirably, that means there is no such thing as a rush to push the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher and Conor Bradley out of the aspect.
As an inventory of priorities go, the main focus ought 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 offer Actual a style of what they’ve given us in recent times, it’s merely not the time to be forcing something.
