Liverpool head into Saturday’s clash against Tottenham with the chance to win back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time since September.
Having made it five games unbeaten in all competitions with victory over Brighton last weekend, the Reds finally look to be getting back on track.
Nevertheless, plenty of question marks remain over who exactly makes up Arne Slot‘s best Liverpool XI, and the Dutch coach must find the answers sooner rather than later.
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The biggest decision Arne Slot has to make for Liverpool vs Tottenham is:
Liverpool vs Tottenham injury list
Liverpool’s injury list is getting longer
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Part of the complication in Slot being able to pick his best team every time has been that Liverpool’s new signings have struggled to hit the ground running.
Hugo Ekitike aside, doubt has been cast on whether each and every summer addition was a smart one for the Reds. As many of them now begin to settle in properly, Slot could finally help that process by getting them all on the pitch together this Saturday.
Liverpool could play their new signings all together
Clearly, the one caveat to this is that Giovanni Leoni remains injured and will likely miss the entire season. It will be a while until we see him slot back into the Liverpool back line.
However, Slot may have the chance to get all five of his other outfield signings together at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Merchandise scarves featuring Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool been sold at a stall ahead of the Premier League match between Burnley and Liverpool at Turf Moor.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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Florian Wirtz and Ekitike are almost certain to start, while it would be a surprise if Alexander Isak was left on the bench again as well.
Milos Kerkez has been in good form recently and deserves to keep his place, while Jeremie Frimpong is expected to be available after missing two months with a hamstring injury.
Frimpong will not start against Tottenham, but the Dutchman may be a candidate to come on. Liverpool’s new diamond formation looks to play to his strengths, and after such a long time spent out of the team, Frimpong will be champing at the bit to return.
It is not only the former Bayer Leverkusen man who should benefit from Slot’s change in approach, though, the new system looks set to get the best out of Wirtz, Ekitike, Isak and Kerkez as well. Finally, after months of questioning exactly what Liverpool were thinking last summer, the plan may begin to look coherent and clear.
Gut feeling, has Mohamed Salah played his last game for Liverpool? If yes, how do you feel about it?
421 appearances
250 goals
114 assists
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How Liverpool could line up with five new stars
It was always going to be risky for Liverpool to sign so many new players all in one go. Excluding the injured Leoni, the Reds signed half a new team, all of whom had potential to be starters.
In the old 4-3-3 formation, many of those additions made little sense, few more so than the roaming No. 10 Wirtz.
But in Slot’s 4-2-2-2 system, Wirtz is given the freedom to play in between the lines, likely dovetailing with either Dominik Szoboszlai or Alexis Mac Allister against Spurs.
The prospect of Ekitike and Isak leading the line in front of Wirtz is an enticing one, while Kerkez and Frimpong will be given licence to bomb on to provide a threat from wide.
On paper, this looks like a perfect set-up for Liverpool, and fans should be excited to see it in action for the first time. There may be some teething issues, but in Christmas week, Reds supporters could get the early present they’ve been hoping for all season long.
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