Changes Arne Slot Could Make for Champions League Game Against RB Leipzig as Liverpool Face Dominik Szoboszlai Decision
Liverpool’s next challenge comes in the form of RB Leipzig in the Champions League, presenting new coach Arne Slot with several selection dilemmas.
On Sunday afternoon, Liverpool achieved their 10th win in 11 matches under Slot, defeating Chelsea 2-1 in the Premier League at Anfield. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a penalty in the first half, while Curtis Jones secured the victory shortly after Nicolas Jackson had equalised for Chelsea.
With this victory, Liverpool now shift their focus to the Champions League, preparing for their match against RB Leipzig on Wednesday evening. The team aims to continue their perfect start in the competition’s initial phase.
In this context, Newsnow Liverpool takes a look at the potential changes Slot may implement as his squad prepares for their upcoming fixture.
Full-back Change?
With the game on Sunday marking the beginning of a challenging stretch of seven matches in just 20 days, Slot will need to utilise his entire squad before the final international break of the year next month.
Caoimhin Kelleher returned to the starting lineup against Chelsea and is expected to retain his position, given that Alisson Becker will be sidelined for at least a month. Vitezslav Jaros will likely remain as the backup goalkeeper.
Slot faces decisions regarding both full-back positions. Kostas Tsimikas has frequently alternated with Andy Robertson at left-back and may get his second Champions League start of the season, while Trent Alexander-Arnold almost missed the right-back spot on Sunday due to fitness issues. With Conor Bradley out for several weeks, Joe Gomez is prepared to step in.
In central defence, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have been consistent starters, leaving Jarell Quansah waiting for another chance, which is more likely to come in the League Cup match next midweek at Brighton.
Szoboszlai Question
Curtis Jones’ performance against Chelsea has made it challenging to exclude him from the lineup, as he excelled in a deeper position alongside Ryan Gravenberch.
Gravenberch has started in nearly every match this season and may be in need of a rest, with Alexis Mac Allister eager to make a return after being limited to a spot on the bench over the weekend.
Wataru Endo, another option for the number six position, has found his first-team chances restricted this season. However, his experience in Germany during his time at Stuttgart could be advantageous for him on Wednesday.
With Harvey Elliott still unavailable, both Mac Allister and Jones are set to compete with Dominik Szoboszlai for the number 10 role.
The Hungarian faced difficulties at times against Chelsea but will be eager to play against his former club. Tyler Morton and Trey Nyoni are additional options available in the midfield.
Jota Wait
Slot’s initial assessment of Diogo Jota indicates that the Portuguese forward is expected to miss the match in Germany. This creates an opportunity for Darwin Nunez to earn just his fourth start of the season as the central striker.
On the left flank, Luis Diaz will be vying for a starting position against Cody Gakpo after being sidelined for the previous two matches.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah is anticipated to remain on the right, with Federico Chiesa having been unavailable due to injury for the past few weeks.
In other news, Chris Sutton Now Drops Stance on Whether Liverpool are Man City’s Biggest Rival in the PL After Beating Chelsea
