A look at how Liverpool might lineup when they are entertained by Girona in the Champions League on Tuesday night
Having seen the Merseyside derby postponed, Alexis Mac Allister will now serve his one-match suspension in the Premier League at Fulham next week. And with the Argentina international also ruled out for Tuesday’s visit to Girona, Arne Slot has a midfield rethink of sorts on his hands.
For the trip to Everton, Slot was being tipped to recall Dominik Szoboszlai and drop Curtis Jones back alongside Ryan Gravenberch but with the Reds flying at the top of the Champions League table and with that Fulham game to be navigated without Mac Allister, is this a chance for Wataru Endo?
The Japan captain has only started two games this term – both in the Carabao Cup – but Endo might be able to give an overworked Gravenberch a rare rest after his leggy performance in the 3-3 draw with Newcastle United last week.
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There is also a case to be made for Harvey Elliott, who has featured for just a handful of minutes all season after suffering a foot fracture on England Under-21s duty in September. With Slot’s team so well placed in the revamped European Cup, a first-ever trip to Girona provides the opportunity to rest and rotate ahead of Premier League action later in the week.
Elliott was one of the stars of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States, looking at home in the No.10 role with his touch, technique and vision but that foot injury three months ago has stunted progress significantly.
Former Fulham teenager Elliott was a late sub in the 2-0 win over Manchester City recently in what was his first run-out since a late cameo against Brentford in August. He needs game-time, so this might be ideal for him to operate furthest forward in the midfield trio. If Slot is looking to give his main men in midfield a much-needed break then a recall for Elliott seems an obvious decision.
In defence, the options are somewhat more stretched with Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate and Kostas Tsimikas all out. Jarell Quansah may once more be asked to deputise for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back with Joe Gomez keeping his place alongside Virgil van Dijk in the centre-back. Slot will be able to provide an update on Alisson Becker on Monday when he meets the media but the Brazil international did train late last week.
Up top, Slot might utilise the option of Luis Diaz as his No.9 once more after it was used to devastating effect in the 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen last month. The Colombia international, in fact, struck a hat-trick as the Bundesliga champions were swept aside.
How fit is Federico Chiesa? Having played just 60 minutes of football since September, in last week’s Under-21s defeat to FC Nordsjaelland, the Italy international will still be someway short of 100% but he might be needed to alleviate the workload on Mohamed Salah for this one.
It’s unlikely he starts but the next few weeks offer chances for Chiesa to get some more games under his belt having barely featured since his August move from Juventus.
Chiesa has played just 77 minutes of the 1710 Liverpool have played since he joined the club but with Southampton in the Carabao Cup on the horizon and the fixtures starting to bottleneck for a Reds squad just feeling the impact of injuries just now, the visit to Girona might be an important one for the former Juve forward.
Liverpool are insistent Chiesa is a long-term project but helping share the workload for his colleagues could be vital. For now, filling in for his fellow frontmen might be a temporary role for Chiesa until he is at a sufficient level of fitness to start to providing more serious competition.
