All the talk seems to be about whether Mohamed Salah will be brought back into the starting XI against Sunderland.
Fixtures keep on coming for the Reds at the start of the festive football period, and up next, they take on the Black Cats at Anfield.
Liverpool will be hoping to build upon their win against West Ham but face a much trickier opposition this time around, with Arne Slot admitting that some changes might have to be made.
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Do you agree with the Rousing The Kop writer predictions for Liverpool vs Sunderland? Let us know yours…
James Brooke: 3-1 Liverpool win. I think Sunday’s result will bring confidence back to both players and fans. The Anfield factor should work back in Liverpool’s favour and though they’ll probably concede, I think they’ll still come out on top.
Freddie Dorman: 2-1 to Liverpool. Sunderland will make it a physical and ugly battle, putting Liverpool under a lot of pressure. However, think they might manage to stay in it, probably thanks to Alisson, and nick it late on.
Josh Barker: 2-2. Sunderland have shown on multiple occasions this season that they can compete with the best teams, and they will test Liverpool’s shaky defence a lot more than West Ham.
Liverpool players hold a group huddle on the pitch ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Liverpool at the London Stadium
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images
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One of them could be Salah, who was an unused substitute at the weekend, with many thinking the Egyptian will be brought straight back in.
Jamie Carragher is one of those who has suggested he would start games like this in the past, but his previous comments simply no longer apply.
Jamie Carragher said Mohamed Salah must start the games at Anfield
Mohamed Salah in action for Liverpool during their Premier League match against Manchester United at Anfield.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Sunderland will be a very tough game to navigate, but one big bonus is the Anfield factor, with the crowd needing to get behind the team during this tough time.
Liverpool will need to be on the front foot or else the Black Cats will use their physicality to get on top, with home advantage something that has got them over the line many times in the past.
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Salah has often been a key part of this too as his record at Anfield is nothing short of sensational, with Carragher previously saying that he must start every home game, but performances suggest this is now not the case.
“He should always be starting at Anfield because Liverpool are going to be on top, be around the box and more often than not, he scores,” he said.
However, not only have Liverpool not been on top at home in recent games, but Salah has also missed big opportunities, so more often than he not, he has not scored.
Liverpool were also a much better side without him in the team last game, with Dominik Szoboszlai much more effective in his position, with the Hungarian helping the Reds get on top of West Ham.
This suggests that Slot should do the same for this one and, therefore, Salah will not be starting at home.
Is this the beginning of the end for Salah?
Mohamed Salah looks dejected during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah after 13 Premier League games 24/25:
11 goals
7 assists
Mohamed Salah after 13 Premier League games 25/26:
4 goals
2 assists
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Mohamed Salah has just four games left before AFCON
Salah has just four games remaining before he goes to AFCON, with the winger potentially being absent for up to seven games.
With that said, many would think that Liverpool would make the most of him while he was here and he would be a guaranteed starter, but that is not the case.
Instead, there is a possibility that he starts most of the next four on the bench and is reduced to a bit-part role, something that he will not be happy about at all.
However, unless he can prove a point in the minutes he gets, it is probably the right decision, but it might signal the beginning of the end for Liverpool’s star man.
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