6 hours ago
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Arne Slot has several selection dilemmas ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League encounter against Real Madrid.
The fixture comes in the middle of an eight-period in which the Reds also face Aston Villa and Manchester City. Given there are just three days in between the Real and Villa matches, Slot may feel the need to refresh his squad for the midweek European fixture.
But Liverpool put in perhaps its best performance of the season so far on Saturday as Slot reverted back to a similar side that guided Liverpool to the title last term. From the summer signings, only Giorgi Mamardashvili and Hugo Ekitike started in that 2-0 victory.
Should he opt to make changes, the return of Curtis Jones from injury is a welcome boost, while Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz are the obvious choices to be drafted into the starting XI. Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa offer unlikely, yet still plausible, options.
Alisson, Jeremie Frimpiong, Giovanni Leoni, and Alexander Isak remain unavailable, meaning Liverpool’s squad could be a little light for the clash against Real.
The list of absentees means Mamardashvili is almost certain to start in nets, while Conor Bradley will likely line up at right-back despite Slot carefully managing his minutes this season.
At the heart of defense, it’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk starting - could the former be in the same position as Trent Alexander-Arnold when Liverpool and Real next face each other?
The dilemma of whether to stick with Robertson or recall Kerkez must be weighing on Slot’s mind. It would be a gamble for the Dutchman to drop Robertson after Saturday’s impressive display, especially given how disappointing his Hungarian counterpart’s performances have been this season.
In midfield, Slot has more options to call upon. The fitness of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister may impact Liverpool’s team selection, with both building up fitness in recent weeks.
Dominik Szoboszlai feels like the only guaranteed starter, with Jones and Wirtz possible alternatives if Slot makes changes.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah and Ekitike feel like certainties to begin Tuesday’s match, but the left wing looks less clear.
Cody Gakpo impressed against Villa, but a solution to get Wirtz into the team may be for Slot to stick with his trusted midfield and then select the German international out wide.
Liverpool predicted line-up: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.
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