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The pressure is well and truly on for Liverpool and Arne Slot today as they take on Aston Villa.
The Reds won’t need to be reminded of the dismal form they’re on, but six defeats in the last seven games means that the visit of Unai Emery’s in-form side takes on even greater significance. Having already fallen seven points behind Arsenal in the title race, Liverpool can ill-afford yet another defeat.
Today begins a tough run of fixtures, with Real Madrid and Manchester City still to come before the international break, but after an awful October, Liverpool simply has to get back to winning ways this month.
All eyes will be on Slot, who will almost certainly make wholesale changes again following the midweek defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.
Having received backlash for his decision to select such an inexperienced squad against the Eagles, the Reds should take on a much more familiar feel today, although there will be plenty of players under pressure to produce a performance, given just how badly things have gone recently.
Giorgi Mamardashvili will return in goal. Alisson Becker should hopefully not be too far away from a return now, but today’s game will surely come too soon for him.
Unless Slot springs a surprise by retaining Calvin Ramsay, Conor Bradley will return at right-back, with Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk taking their usual spots at the heart of the defense.
Who starts at left-back is the first big question though. If we were picking who we want to start, then Andy Robertson would get the nod, but since we’re predicting who Slot will pick, we suspect Milos Kerkez will continue there - but he absolutely needs to improve.
Moving into midfield, Ryan Gravenberch should hopefully be able to return. Slot’s assessment of the Dutch international’s fitness on Friday was positive, so we’re predicting that he’ll make an instant return to the line-up.
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He starts alongside Dominik Szoboszlai, who is one of a very select few who can be pleased with his performances so far this season, despite being asked to play in an array of positions so far.
Moving into the attack, Mohamed Salah takes his usual spot on the right, and if ever there was a time for him to rediscover his best form, it’s now. Florian Wirtz needs a good performance as well, while Cody Gakpo is back on the left.
With Alexander Isak expected to be out injured again, it falls upon Hugo Ekitike to lead the line, and the Frenchman may well have the chance to make that position his own, with Liverpool’s players facing a must-win game today.
Liverpool predicted line-up vs Aston Villa: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
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