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You know the old saying. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
It’s a mantra that Arne Slot seems to be a big fan of. The Liverpool boss wasn’t one for making a lot of changes last season, having very much favored the same 11 or 12 players in the Premier League and Champions League.
Even after a summer that saw the Reds go big on new signings, Slot hasn’t diverted away from what seems to be his first-choice XI at this early stage of the campaign. Five games into the season, including the Community Shield, only 13 players have been handed a start so far.
That number is likely to increase now as the games come thick and fast, with the Reds’ Champions League campaign getting underway later as Atletico Madrid comes to town.
There is seemingly a chance we could see one or two players handed their first start of the season against Diego Simeone’s side, and Liverpool fans will be eagerly waiting to see whether Alexander Isak is among those.
The deadline day signing is expected to make his debut one way or another against Atletico, and Slot has hinted it could even come from the start.
That would be a big call for a player who only has around 20 minutes of competitive action under his belt since May, and not much more time training alongside his new teammates. Slot isn’t one to take unnecessary risks, so it would surely make more sense for Hugo Ekitike to retain his spot up front, and for Isak’s first appearance to come off the bench - and what an option that is to have.
But while Isak might have to wait just a little while for his chance, there are two changes that Slot should be considering later, which could see two players make their first starts of the season.
We all know about Milos Kerkez’s unfortunate afternoon at Burnley, and although dropping him against Atletico might feel a bit like kicking a man while he’s down, it does feel as though the time might be right to take him out of the firing line.
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It has been a tricky start to life at Liverpool for the former Bournemouth star, and as the Reds look to make the perfect start to their Champions League campaign, having the experience and know-how of Andy Robertson from the start definitely feels like the right move - especially against a Simeone side.
Likewise, having an out-and-out right-back feels like a must today. As well as Dominik Szoboszlai has done in the position, with Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong back fit, one of them should get the nod, with the former still waiting for his first start amid what has been a slightly frustrating season so far.
That doesn’t mean Szoboszlai should come out of the team though - far from it. The Hungarian has been one of Liverpool’s best performers so far, and is deserving of his place in the side.
Instead, considering there have been one or two doubts over his fitness so far, it might be a good time to give Alexis Mac Allister a rest. The Argentine is far too important to this side, and his minutes need to be managed carefully after a disrupted pre-season.
Possible Liverpool line-up vs Atletico Madrid: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
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