Arne Slot has a number of issues to balance as he considers his starting lineup for Liverpool’s trip to Newcastle, with another possible change in defence.
“I trust the players we have now that they are doing everything they can to stay fit and we have to make smart decisions to keep them available for this month,” Slot told reporters on Tuesday.
After their 2-0 win over Man City on the first day of the month, Liverpool will play eight more times before the end of December with injuries taking their toll.
That makes Slot’s challenge of setting up his side while managing the fitness of his available players all the more difficult.
His next task is the trip to Newcastle on Wednesday night, with it more than likely we will see changes at St James’ Park.
Team News
Following Slot’s pre-match press conference we know the following:
- Alisson will not be involved with no plans to rush him back
- Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas are all out
- Federico Chiesa could make the squad after return to training
- Diogo Jota remains unlikely with no update on his fitness
Liverpool’s XI vs. Newcastle
As Slot explained on Tuesday: “To go into that month with only five defenders is not ideal but it is part of everyone’s season.”
With Konate, Bradley and Tsimikas all unavailable and Trent Alexander-Arnold only just returning a hamstring issue, rotating his defence will be of paramount importance.
However, there remains a strong chance Slot opts for an unchanged back four in midweek with alterations later on from the bench.
There could be a reshuffle in both midfield and attack, however, as has been the case for much of the season:
- Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson retained
- Curtis Jones brought in to replace Dominik Szoboszlai
- Darwin Nunez back up front with Luis Diaz taking over on the left
Those changes would see Liverpool line up like this:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Diaz, Nunez
There are other areas of consideration, however, including the fitness of Robertson at left-back with no natural cover.
Gomez is the most accomplished backup at this stage, and though he shone as centre-back against Man City at the weekend he could return to the bench with a view to replacing one of Alexander-Arnold or Robertson later in the game.
Furthermore, with Alexis Mac Allister one yellow card away from a suspension he could be reserved for the Merseyside derby, while Cody Gakpo‘s excellent form may warrant another start.
Therefore we could see:
- Jarell Quansah coming in for Gomez at centre-back
- Jones instead replacing Mac Allister alongside Szoboszlai
- Nunez swapping with Diaz as striker with Gakpo on the left
That would leave this XI for Wednesday:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez
With changes almost guaranteed it is certainly harder to predict Liverpool’s starting lineup now than it was towards the start of the season.
As Slot stressed in his pre-match press conference, however, this is simply “part of everyone’s season,” with the head coach clearly eager to take it in his stride as he seeks another three points.
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