There is no respite for Liverpool as they prepare to play their fourth game in nine days – this time against Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
A relentless run of games has yet to lead to an injury crisis for Arne Slott, but his players are undoubtedly feeling the pace as they juggle league action with FA Cup and Carabao Cup commitments.
Of the three games Liverpool have played in the last week and their great success, they have only beaten League Two’s Accrington Stanley. Manchester United took a deserved point from Anfield before that Tottenham upset the basket with a narrow victory over the Reds in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
The clash against Forest on Tuesday is another really tough test, with Nuno Espirito Santo surprisingly finishing third after stringing together a brilliant run of results. Indeed, they are just six points off Liverpool’s points tally at the top, and have won their last six matches in a row in all competitions.
Here’s how Liverpool could line up at The City Ground.
GK: Alisson – Liverpool’s number one goalkeeper stayed out of this weekend’s FA Cup tie but will be back here straight away.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – Criticized for his performance against Man Utd, Alexander-Arnold responded in the only way he knows how during his hour against Accrington – blasting one into the top corner from 20 yards.
CB: Ibrahima Konata – WITH Joe Gomez is out with a hamstring injury predictably and Jarell Quansah is not in the forefront of Slot’s thoughts, Konate is the one who takes shape next to Alexander-Arnold.
CB: Virgil van Dijk – The Reds skipper had to get back on his feet on Saturday, but his boots will be tightened further in preparation for 12-goal Chris Wood.
LB: Andy Robertson – There is a noticeable drop in Robertson’s performance level, but he is probably still a more consistent operator than Kostas Tsimikas. The Greek played the full 90 minutes against Accrington, suggesting he will return to the bench this time around.
DM: Ryan Gravenberch – One of the surprise packages of the season, it’s probably a fair comment to say that Gravenberch is now one of the first names on Slot’s squad.
DM: Alexis MacAllister – Likewise, Mac Allister continues to go from strength to strength in midfield and looks like a more favorable player every day. If there’s one criticism of the 26-year-old, it’s that he doesn’t score enough goals – one in 18 Premier League the look certainly doesn’t seem enough considering its quality.
RW: Mohamed Salah – One player who has no problem finding the back of the net is arguably one of the Premier League’s greatest ever. 18 goals in a season at an average of one every 93 minutes is elite.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai – The Hungarian international will compete with Curtis Jones for the attacking midfield role – there isn’t much to it, but Szoboszlai could get the upper hand.
LW: Cody Gakpo – The Dutchman’s arrival at Anfield after the 2022 World Cup surprised many, given the quality that then manager Jurgen Klopp already had at his disposal. But Gakpo is now one of the key components Liverpoolfirst line, with 12 in all competitions so far.
ST: Luis Diaz – Diogo Jota is working hard to get back into his starting spot, and with Darwin Nunez out through suspension, there’s every chance he could get Sloto’s backing. However, Diaz has been superb for Liverpool away from home and is hard to ignore.
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