Arne Slot is set to have some big decision to make over who starts for Liverpool against Southampton on Wednesday.
The Reds are in the middle of the hectic festive schedule and in truth could perhaps do without a trip to the South Coast this midweek.
While Slot will be taking the Carabao Cup seriously as a chance to win a first trophy as Liverpool head coach, it’s also true that the Reds have bigger fish to fry this season.
The Liverpool squad also still has some injury issues to contend with and Slot will have to strike a fine balance so as not to make things worse in that respect.
Having said that, the Southampton game can also give a chance to some players who have not played enough under the Dutch coach.
One of those is Federico Chiesa, who Liverpool fans are waiting to see anything much from since his summer arrival.
(THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Federico Chiesa of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Training Centre on December 12, 2024 in Kirkby, ...
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Could Federico Chiesa start against Southampton
It was great to see Chiesa finally back on the bench for Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.
The Italian may not have gotten on the pitch against Fulham, but it was his first appearance in the matchday squad since September the 28th.
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Slot said Chiesa is more likely to play against Southampton before the Fulham game, though, and according to journalist David Lynch, the 27-year-old is in line for a start at St Mary’s.
Writing on his Substack column, Lynch reports that Chiesa is set to play alongside fellow recent returnee Diogo Jota, with Alexis Mac Allister also ready to start after serving a two-game suspension in all competitions.
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“The depth of Slot’s squad means he will still be able to name plenty of big-hitters in his starting XI, with the likes of Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Alexis Mac Allister in line for starts aimed at sharpening them up,” says the journalist.
“But the Reds boss is also expected to lean heavily on academy players to fill a number of gaps in his team.”
Who else could play against Southampton?
Although Liverpool will be wary of overworking the players and picking up more fitness problems on Wednesday, this is also a big chance to get to another Carabao Cup semi-final.
Southampton are in a bad place. The Saints sit rock bottom of the Premier League having collected just five points from 16 games.
Inevitably, this has now led to the sacking of manager Russell Martin, who was relieved of his duties immediately after Sunday’s 5-0 battering from Tottenham.
It is desperately unlikely that they’ll have a new manager in place by Wednesday’s game, meaning that Liverpool could capitalise on their disarray.
In that respect, it looks like a good move to sprinkle big names like Chiesa, Jota and Mac Allister into what could otherwise be an inexperienced line-up.
Lynch outlines Jayden Danns, Trey Nyoni, Amara Nallo and James’ Norris and McConnell as players who could get a chance. In our opinion, further first-teamers such Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott are also likely to be called upon.
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