Arne Slot drops huge Liverpool selection hint but 4 players could change his mind

Liverpool's Premier League season is now just 15 days away, with the Community Shield a mere 10 days down the line. 

It still feels as though there are big things to happen in the transfer market — but for now, Arne Slot's attentions must turn to who will step out onto the pitch when the Reds get their campaign underway.

Unlike last year, his preparations have been more or less ideal. With no international tournaments to worry about, Slot has worked with something approaching a full complement, giving his first hint of a potential pecking order by selecting a strong 29-man squad for the tour of Asia.

That brought good news for Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, two of just a handful of youngsters to travel with a mostly senior group. They have undoubtedly left their mark, with the latter wowing fans once again versus Yokohama F. Marinos.

Yet while there is a very real question now over whether Ngumoha has a role to play in the senior setup this season, the 16-year-old is unlikely to be catapulted into a regular starting role. For now, at least, that probably doesn't feature among Slot's biggest selection dilemmas.

In fact, Slot just gave his biggest hint yet about what he currently perceives to be his first-choice Liverpool team. While there had been a little more mix-and-matching up to this point on the tour, the side that started the match against Yokohama had all the hallmarks of a notional strongest XI.

The one obvious exception came in goal, with Alisson excused from the camp to attend to a personal matter. But in front of Giorgi Mamardashvili, it looked like Slot elected to go full-strength.

Tell-tale signs included the central pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, who spent most of last season at the heart of Liverpool's defense, and Mohamed Salah, one of the few with a near-automatic pass into any best XI. With that in mind, Slot made a handful of interesting decisions.

For one thing, the choice of full-backs felt notable. The new signing got the nod on one flank, but not the other; Milos Kerkez started ahead of Andy Robertson, but Jeremie Frimpong had to settle for a place on the bench behind Conor Bradley.

This could well be a window into the start-of-season pecking order. While Robertson will no doubt still play plenty of football, the arrival of Kerkez will ultimately signal his phasing-out — known for his ruthlessness, it would be characteristic of Slot to make that change early on, leaving it down to the Scot to try and win his place back.

On the other side, Bradley is even younger than Frimpong, so the dynamics are different. And it appears the new signing may have to earn his place from the incumbent, with Slot having been impressed by the Northern Irish international throughout last season.

Yet it wouldn't be a surprise to see Frimpong upset the pecking order even before the Premier League gets underway. He seized his opportunity against Yokohama after his introduction, delivering a wicked assist for Trey Nyoni and looking a constant threat.

Looking to the midfield, the biggest exclusion was Alexis Mac Allister. While it would be a shock to see him left out of the true first-choice setup, after an incredible 2024/25 campaign, you could say the same about any of Liverpool's midfielders — and with the record arrival of Wirtz, something has to give.

It should be noted that Mac Allister missed some training following an injury, so his phased reintroduction is perfectly normal. That being said, he is up against some stiff competition.

Will Slot be quick to remove Dominik Szoboszlai, the tireless pressing machine who helps to set the intensity from the middle? Will he ditch Ryan Gravenberch, the breakout star of last season?

This is certainly where the selection is most up in the air, and the solution may yet lie in a change of formation. Cutting down to two attackers, with Wirtz behind them at the tip of the midfield, could yet be a way to fit everyone in.

But then who do you lose from the attack? Certainly not Salah, which means the focus falls on Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike.

First and foremost, it was significant that Ekitike got the nod from the start against Yokohama. Despite only being ready to play 30-45 minutes, Slot threw him in with the "stronger" XI, a clear sign of his intentions for the new campaign; Darwin Nunez, despite a strong preseason to date, watched from the bench.

As for Gakpo, he is almost the default starter on the left at the minute, after Luis Diaz's move to Bayern Munich. He may yet be at risk if Slot elects to tweak the formation, but he is currently fairly safe for as long as Liverpool plays a front three.

Ultimately, the main thing that could change the attack between now and August 15 is another signing. The arrival of Alexander Isak would obviously necessitate a reshuffle, putting Gakpo or Ekitike (or perhaps both) at risk.

But even without that new signing, there are plenty of players within the squad who will still hope to break into Slot's best side before the season begins. With Robertson, Frimpong and Mac Allister all knocking on the door, the strength in depth is starting to look incredibly good — file that under "nice problems to have" for the coach.