Arne Slot is anticipated to make changes for Liverpool’s Merseyside derby meeting against Everton on Wednesday.
Arne Slot’s decision to make changes against Plymouth Argyle ultimately backfired, as Liverpool suffered a stunning FA Cup defeat on Sunday. The Reds’ head coach kept 11 senior players at home, including Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Slot made ten changes to his starting XI against the Pilgrims, with Caoimhin Kelleher the only player who kept his spot. However, he still included Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.
However, Liverpool’s fringe players battled throughout, as Ryan Hardie’s penalty was the difference at Home Park, with the Reds’ focus now shifting to Wednesday’s Merseyside derby.
Slot will take his chances again against Everton, with all of his rested players expected to return. The ECHO examines the Dutchman’s potential Derby debut team.
Alexander-Arnold’s absence continues.
Slot has already admitted it. Alexander-Arnold has a race against the clock to prove his health in time to play Everton. With Conor Bradley at home versus Plymouth and one eye on the Blues, it appears that the Liverpool vice-captain is losing that battle.
If he does not recover in time, Bradley will start at right-back, with Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Andy Robertson all returning to the back four.
Meanwhile, after missing the Reds’ last two games, a well-rested Alisson Becker is ready to return in goal.
Changes in midfield
Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis MacAllister, and Dominik Szoboszlai were all left at home for the trip to Plymouth, and they are likely to return to the starting lineup against Everton as a result.
Meanwhile, Curtis Jones was left out against the Pilgrims, with Slot subsequently confirming that the midfielder was not fully ready despite only recently returned from injury. While hopefully simply preventative, it would be surprising if he was immediately reinserted into the starting lineup.
Diaz’s dilemma
Salah and Cody Gakpo will both start against Everton having being rested entirely against Plymouth, but Slot faces a difficult dilemma on who will complete his assault at Goodison Park.
Diaz, Jota, and Federico Chiesa all started against Plymouth Argyle, with Darwin Nunez coming on as a substitute, but none of the quartet shone in Liverpool’s sad FA Cup loss.
With the Portuguese having only recently returned from injury, Slot appears to be torn between Diaz and Nunez when deciding on his starting centre-forward for the Derby.
