Arne Slot has telegraphed part of his starting eleven ahead of Saturday’s Merseyside derby with Everton, while the Liverpool manager also voiced his disbelief at the state of English refereeing.
Slot will experience his first taste of the Merseyside derby on Saturday in what will also be the final time Goodison Park hosts the historic fixture (barring an FA Cup draw). Everton will move into their new stadium ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Liverpool enter the tie having dropped points on Wednesday in a chaotic 3-3 draw with Newcastle. Everton, meanwhile, raised spirits with a 4-0 demolition job on Wolves.
The Reds will be without Alexis Mac Allister through a one-game ban after the Argentine picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Newcastle.
His regular partner in central areas – Ryan Gravenberch – is also one yellow card away from his own suspension. The Merseyside derby is rarely a game that passes by without its fair share of bookings.
Yet despite Gravenberch looking fatigued against Newcastle and the threat of a one-game ban looming, Slot confirmed on Friday that the Dutchman WILL start against Everton.
As quoted by the Liverpool Echo, Slot said: “We don’t talk about referee decisions after the game with players, it’s no use. Not here or with the players.
“When it comes to Gravenberch, I took him off [against Newcastle] because in every game he played so well and this game, first half wasn’t his best like the team, this was a game when I felt someone can do the same to rest him a bit.
“He has played so many games already so we were 2-1 down at the moment. He will start tomorrow.”
“How is this possible” – Arne Slot
Mac Allister’s fifth booking of the season came as a result of a challenge on Fabian Schar. Mac Allister took to Instagram post-match to declare the yellow brandished by referee Andy Madley ‘undeserved.’
Curtis Jones could partner Gravenberch in midfield, with Dominik Szoboszlai retaking the No 10 position.
Nonetheless, Slot was left bemused at how many bookings his side have been given this season in comparison to the number of fouls they make.
“That’s the good thing [having players to replace Mac Allister] but Gravenberch one card away from suspension… How is this possible because we hardly make any fouls,” asked a bemused Slot.
“If you look at the decisions you can argue that it was not correct for Alexis’ yellow. Players will get suspended but we have three of the main four midfielders (Gravenberch, Jones, Wataru Endo), and Elliott is on his way back, so that line is not our main worry.”
Looking at the stats, Slot’s comments about his side’s fouls-to-yellows ratio doesn’t appear to hold much weight.
Liverpool have committed theeighth most fouls in the Premier League this season with 165. Conversely, only three teams (Tottenham, Everton, Brentford) have received FEWER yellow cards than Liverpool’s mark of 31.
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In other news, Fabrizio Romano has revealed a new contract for Ibrahima Konate is “almost done.”
Elsewhere, The Daily Mail revealed Liverpoolstill hold interest in signing Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon.
The former Everton man produced arguably his best performance of the season on Wednesday when helping Newcastle snatch a point off the Reds.
Elsewhere,GiveMeSport claim Trent Alexander-Arnold is no longer the only Reds player in Real Madrid’s sights.
Gravenberch -labelled“revelation of the season” by Dutch legend Ruud Gullit – is nowin Real Madrid’s crosshairs too.
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