Liverpool’s schedule shows no signs of relenting as they travel to West Ham on Sunday for their final game of 2024, but Arne Slot is armed with options to choose from.
The Reds closed off their calendar year at Anfield on a winning note, forced to come from behind to lift the fog in their 3-1 win over Leicester.
It was not Liverpool’s most eye-catching performance under Slot, but three points added to the tally is all that matters as the Reds aim to retain or build on the gap to their challengers.
West Ham pose a different challenge on Sunday and they will be without several key players for the fixture – that isn’t to say Liverpool can underestimate the side in 13th.
So, how could Slot line up his side in the capital? Let’s take a look.
Team News
Liverpool’s squad remains in a healthy state heading into this clash, but Slot is still without a handful of players:
- Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley yet to return to team training
- Dominik Szoboszlai suspended after reaching five yellow cards
- Diogo Jota is being managed but “close to starting a game”
Liverpool’s XI vs. West Ham
Although Liverpool’s squad is largely healthy, there are few positions up for grabs when we look at how Slot could set up his side against West Ham.
As Luis Diaz did not play a single minute against Leicester in midweek, it is hard to see him start from the bench again, meaning Darwin Nunez would drop out of the XI.
Szoboszlai was pencilled in to start after coming off the bench against the Foxes, but now Curtis Jones has another opportunity to take Slot’s advice and “be outstanding against West Ham.”
With a week between this match and the next, there is a decision to be made as to whether Andy Robertson gets the nod for the third time in a week or if Kostas Tsimikas comes in.
It will all come down to whether the Scot needs a break after playing 176 minutes across the last two games:
- Defence remains unchanged for third game in a row
- Jones retained in midfield in absence of Szoboszlai
- Diaz returns to the forward line in place of Nunez
This is how Liverpool could line up:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
If Slot were to instead look at the short turnaround between Leicester and West Ham instead of the week between the latter and Man United‘s visit, his selection choices could vary.
Tsimikas would certainly come into consideration after playing 49 minutes since his injury return, injecting fresh legs at left-back with Robertson showing he can no longer consistently sustain his high levels.
Slot explained pre-match that Liverpool are “still managing” Jota’s fitness and thus a start may come too early, which could yet see Nunez selected ahead of Gakpo by virtue of playing fewer minutes of late.
The abovementioned XI is the likeliest eventuality, but at least Slot has options for any eventuality, including Jota, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo and Jarell Quansah.
Those two teaks to the lineup would look like this:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Diaz, Nunez
Although Robertson performed admirably on Boxing Day, asking him to back up for a third time in a week when Tsimikas is fit may be asking too much of the 30-year-old.
Slot, however, has recently shown he is content to do so having recently played the Scot for the full 90 minutes across six successive games – so we can’t count it out.
Either way, the Reds ought to have a strong enough XI and options off the bench to get the desired result on Sunday and end 2024 on a high.
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