Liverpool take on Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon
Mohamed Salah and Joe Gomez will both be eyeing starts
Mohamed Salah and Joe Gomez will both be eyeing starts
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Liverpool return from international duty straight into two big quarter-finals, and while Paris Saint-Germain may lie in wait in Europe it is Manchester City who first block the path to FA Cup progress.
The Reds have already lost to City twice this season in the league, but cup can often be a different beast, and Arne Slot will be desperate to inject some life into his team's stuttering season with a Wembley semi-final.
Who should he select for Saturday's 12.45pm kick-off though? Our Liverpool writers have picked their teams.
Ian Doyle
A big week begins for Liverpool with a big game at a team with a big bank balance in Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the superior domestic cup competition, the FA Cup.
What, then. is Reds boss Arne Slot to do?
With Alisson Becker out, Giorgi Mamardashvili remains in goal. And with Jeremie Frimpong fit, he can go in at right-back with Milos Kerkez the left-back and Ibrahima Konate joining skipper Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.
In midfield, a bit of a change. Ryan Gravenbech can be one of the pivots but can be joined this time by Dominik Szoboszlai with Florian Wirtz the number 10.
That leaves a forward line with Mohamed Salah on the right, Hugo Ekitike down the middle and Cody Gakpo on the left. It also means there will actually be some options from the bench with Alexander Isak, Alexis Mac Allister, Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones and Rio Ngumoha among them.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Paul Gorst
Joe Gomez makes a start for me here today at right-back, affording the Liverpool defence more solidity on that side of the pitch where Jeremy Doku likes to wreak havoc.
Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez complete the back four in front of Giorgi Mamrdashvili, whose deputising for Alisson Becker goes on.
In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister can drop out after his lengthy travels on international duty. The Argentina midfielder is replaced by Curtis Jones, who should be suitably rested. Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai start alongside the Liverpool-born Jones.
Florian Wirtz is given the nod on the left side of the front three and there's a start for Mohamed Salah, who is apparently ready to return after an injury before the break.
The long goodbye tour starts for Salah at the Etihad. Hugo Ekitike leads the line and Alexander Isak is on the bench, even if he can only manage a few minutes off the bench.
My team (4-3-3-): Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz.
Mark Jones
I'm choosing to think that the international break came at a good time for Liverpool. A bit of a reset, fresh focus, time to go again and all that jazz.
It is also a good time to get some training into the players either not selected or pulled out of their national squads - just ask Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.
So with that in mind I'd be adding a rested Joe Gomez in at right-back up against Jeremy Doku, who caused the Reds all sorts of trouble in the league game, and I'd be getting Curtis Jones in midfield to help knit things together and offer a bit of defensive screening too. He comes in for Alexis Mac Allister, who can have a rest after what I presume were a gruelling few days for Argentina. They always seem to be.
Ahead of them I'd be doing all I could to squeeze Liverpool into that 'box' 4-2-2-2 formation, with Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai the second of those twos and supporting Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah coming off the bench to score the winning penalty in the shootout. Maybe.
My team (4-2-2-2): Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Gakpo, Ekitike.
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