Liverpool remains firmly in contention across all four competitions after a commanding 4-0 Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen, maintaining their perfect start to the European campaign under new manager Arne Slot.
Luis Diaz netted a hat-trick and Cody Gakpo also scored, as the Reds now shift focus to their upcoming Premier League clash with Aston Villa on Saturday at Anfield.
Looking ahead, Slot is expected to make some changes for the match, with rotation likely as Liverpool completes the final of seven games in 21 days before the international break. Caoimhin Kelleher is set to continue as goalkeeper, with Alisson Becker still sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
At right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold is the preferred option over Conor Bradley, while a competition at left-back has emerged, with Kostas Tsimikas currently ahead of Andy Robertson. In central defence, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are the first-choice pair, despite Konate’s recent wrist injury.
Midfield rotation is also on the cards, with Curtis Jones’ form offering flexibility. While Ryan Gravenberch showed improvement against Leverkusen, Alexis Mac Allister has appeared fatigued recently, making Jones a likely candidate to replace him in one of the defensive midfield spots, with Wataru Endo as another option. Jones could also retain his number 10 role ahead of Dominik Szoboszlai, who has made nine Premier League starts this season.
Harvey Elliott is unlikely to return until after the international break, leaving Tyler Morton and Trey Nyoni as potential alternatives in midfield.
The key question is whether Darwin Nunez will return to the number nine position after being rested midweek. With Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa still unavailable, Diaz’s performance as a central striker may lead Slot to opt for a more traditional forward, meaning a direct competition between Nunez, Diaz, and Cody Gakpo for the starting roles in attack. Mohamed Salah is expected to remain on the right wing.
