Liverpool's rotated side emerged victorious in midweek, holding off managerless Southampton to advance to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, where Tottenham Hotspur await.
Well, not yet they don't. That's because the north Londoners are currently readying themselves for Sunday's Premier League showdown against Arne Slot's high fliers.
arne-slot-liverpool
Liverpool are top of the table but have drawn successive matches against Newcastle United and Fulham to put Chelsea within touching distance - the Reds do have a game in hand due to the Merseyside derby being called off earlier this month, however.
Ceding ground for a third game in a row, however, would be frustrating, and Slot will be determined to field the perfect line-up to defeat Ange Postecoglou's side.
Liverpool team news
In his pre-match press conference, Slot revealed that Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley are still absent after picking up injuries around three weeks ago.
Federico Chiesa is getting stronger and stronger after returning against Saints, but it's unlikely that the Italian will be handed a starting berth against Spurs.
Alisson Becker, Ryan Gravenberch, Virgil van Dijk, Dominijk Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were among the Premier League mainstays to be afforded a break in midweek, but all are sure to now be restive and determined to defeat their opponents this weekend.
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool
Salah's return will be crucial, but of course will see one of Slot's stars placed back on the bench. Harvey Elliott scored but won't be in the starting line-up this evening, and the same can be said for Darwin Nunez, whose goal allowed for a collective breath of relief across Merseyside.
However, the Uruguayan's performance against Saints still left plenty to be desired, as he lost three of four attempted dribbles and failed to make a key pass in a mixed effort, as per Sofascore.
Instead, most Redmen would hope to see Diogo Jota posted at number nine, for the Portuguese scored off the bench last weekend and impressed once again in midweek, creating three chances in less than a half-hour of action.
Nunez isn't the only star who may face the chop, with Slot perhaps interested in boldly placing Alexis Mac Allister on the bench after he started against Southampton.
Why Slot could boldly drop Mac Allister
A much-changed Liverpool weathered the adverse weather conditions to see off Southampton, sure, with Slot's line-up populated by younger members.
Alexis Mac Allister and Trey Nyoni warming up
Mac Allister was something like the nucleus in the middle though, and even if he didn't enjoy his finest game in a Liverpool shirt, the Argentinian World Cup winner's crisp passing and combative approach served the visitors well - especially in the first half as they assumed total control.
But Mac Allister lacked his usual bite, with the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle giving him a 6/10 score and writing that he was 'not involved as much as he would have liked on his return from suspension.'
Alexis Mac Allister - Stats vs Southampton
Match Stats
Minutes played
Goals
Assists
Touches
Shots (on target)
Accurate passes
Key passes
Dribbles (completed)
Tackles + interceptions
Total duels (won)
Stats via Sofascore
Mac Allister seemed a little rusty, and so perhaps it might be worth replacing him with Curtis Jones on Sunday, with Szoboszlai and Gravenberch both sure to be eyeing roles from the outset after being rested.
Liverpool will need to maximise their fluency at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Jones in particular could be vital in achieving that.
The Scouse ace ranks among the top 1% of Premier League midfielders this season for pass completion, as per FBref, with his technical skill and composure to facets that could serve as a counterpoint to the tireless Szoboszlai.
It's more of a compliment toward Liverpool's midfield depth that Mac Allister might find himself on the bench. It would definitely be a bold call, but Slot will be sure to see the value in making a tweak ahead of a crunch display.
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