Liverpool are next up against West Ham United in the League Cup with Arne Slot facing some selection posers
Liverpool ensured a fifth win in six games under Arne Slot with a comfortable 3-0 Premier League triumph over Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday. A wonder strike by Darwin Nunez followed a brace from Luis Diaz as the Reds bounced back from last weekend’s shock home reverse to Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool will now turn their attention to their defence of the League Cup when they enter the competition at the third round stage at home to West Ham United on Wednesday.
And here we look ahead to the changes Slot could make when his team are next in action.
Keeper question
Having only gradually introduced rotation this season, there is a possibility Slot could make wholesale changes in midweek. And should Alisson Becker’s absence turn out to be a lengthy one, there is a chance Liverpool could field an entirely different XI to the one that stepped out against Bournemouth.
Caoimhin Kelleherwould perhaps have been slated to start between the sticks in the League Cup, but should he need to be rested then Vitezslav Jaros is on standby to make his first competitive appearance for Liverpool.
Both Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah have been waiting patiently for an opportunity at centre-back and would be ready to step in for skipper Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, while at right-back Conor Bradley will be expected to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.
On the opposite side of the defence, Kostas Tsimikas will hope for minutes ahead of Andy Robertson.
Youngsters stake claim
Slot hasn’t altered the midfield at all during the season, with Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister playing as a double pivot and Dominik Szoboszlai as a number 10.
Change, though, is almost certain against West Ham. Curtis Jones was given half-an-hour from the bench at the weekend and is capable of playing in all three engine room positions.
Wataru Endo has seen game time limited this season but will be pressing hard for a role as one of the two deeper midfielders, while Tyler Morton – yet to feature in a matchday squad under Slot – gave a reminder of his attributes by scoring for the under-21s at the weekend.
Trey Nyoni, the 17-year-old who caught the eye during pre-season, played an hour in the same Premier League 2 game against Derby County and will hope to make the squad. Harvey Elliott remains out with a fractured foot.
Chiesa coming in?
With the exception of Mohamed Salah, Slot has been mixing and matching his forward options during the past week, with Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz taking turns on the left and Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota likewise down the middle.
Given that, it would seem Jota and in particular Gakpo would be favoured to line up against the Hammers, although Nunez would perhaps benefit from another run-out.
And the time may have come for summer signing Federico Chiesa to have a first start on the right in place of Salah having stepped off the bench in the last two games.
