Arne Slot has plenty to consider when he names his starting lineup against Real Madrid, with injuries to consider and the looming Premier League clash on the weekend.
It is a huge week for Liverpool as they host both Real Madrid and Man City in the space of five days, and team selection will be key to walking away with three points on both occasions.
Mohamed Salah‘s contract remarks have overshadowed the task that faces Slot’s side, but the Reds boss will be firmly focused on what lies ahead.
With injuries to consider and Trent Alexander-Arnold not fit to start, here’s how Liverpool could line up at Anfield on Wednesday.
Team News
A 26-man squad trained at the AXA Training Centre on the eve of the match, and Slot later offered an update on who he will be able to call on:
- Alexander-Arnold back in training but will not start
- Chiesa took part in some of training, will not be considered
- Alisson and Diogo Jota not involved, remain sidelined
- Kostas Tsimikas picked up an ankle injury, adds his name to injury list
Liverpool squad in training on Tuesday
Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies, Ojrzynski
Defenders: Van Dijk, Konate, Quansah, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Bradley, Mabaya
Midfielders: Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones, Elliott, Endo, Morton, McConnell
Forwards: Salah, Nunez, Gakpo, Diaz, Chiesa, Danns
Liverpool’s XI vs. Real Madrid
Alexander-Arnold has been sidelined for the past two-and-a-half weeks since picking up his injury against Aston Villa, but he was back amongst his teammates on Tuesday.
Slot quickly ruled him out of starting against Real Madrid, and thus Conor Bradley will go up against Kylian Mbappe in a big test in his young career.
The other flank will have caused Slot some pause for thought, with Andy Robertson now facing the prospect of playing three games in eight days in the wake of Tsimikas’ injury.
Joe Gomez is the alternative should Slot wish to keep his veteran left-back fresh, but the Scot’s presence in pre-match media duties suggest his mind is made up:
- Kelleher remains in goal in continued absence of Alisson
- Robertson starts again at left-back, with Bradley retained on the right
- Alexis Mac Allister slots back into midfield
- Luis Diaz lines up in the central role with Salah and Cody Gakpo either side
It would be two changes from the weekend, and look like this:
Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
While that is the likely lineup, Curtis Jones has a strong chance of starting after being taken off in Sunday’s game just after the hour mark, this would leave Dominik Szoboszlai as an option off the bench.
Alexis Mac Allister will return to the starting XI after playing the final 28 minutes at Southampton, which will retain his starting record for every Champions League game so far.
Finally, it is hard to look beyond a front three of Salah, Gakpo and Diaz, but Darwin Nunez could be considered to start for the third game in a row – which would be his longest streak this season:
- Jones starts alongside Gravenberch and Mac Allister
- Nunez to lead the line again alongside Salah and Diaz
Those tweaks look like this:
Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Diaz, Nunez
There is plenty for Liverpool to consider on Wednesday night, but clearly there is no need to push Alexander-Arnold’s return considering the opportunity that awaits on Sunday.
We all want to give Real a taste of what they’ve put us through in recent years and that is still possible irrespective of how Slot lines up his side under the Anfield lights.
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