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Liverpool sweat on Cody Gakpo injury as Arne Slot wrestles with two major decisions

A look at how Liverpool might line up when they entertain Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night in the Champions League last-16 second leg

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(Image: AP)

If Arne Slot has proven anything during his time as Liverpool boss, it is that he doesn't make changes purely for the sake of things.

Wednesday night's team at Paris Saint-Germain, in fact, was the sixth time he has named that same starting lineup in his short time as Reds boss. Jurgen Klopp, by contrast, only named an identical side on five occasions across his 491 matches in charge.

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So it's clear, then, that sweeping alterations just aren't Slot's thing, regardless of the schedule or the opposition. Saturday's 3-1 win over rock-bottom Southampton - a side who had lost 22 of 27 coming into the game - offered the chance to break the tradition, pre-match.

READ MORE: 'His words changed the game' - National media make Darwin Nunez point as Liverpool beat SouthamptonREAD MORE: Arne Slot was the angriest I've ever seen him after Liverpool performance - he had every right to be

However, only three were made as Darwin Nunez made his first Premier League start since Boxing Day and Curtis Jones and Kostas Tsimikas also returned to the team. So, with Paris Saint-Germain up next in the second leg of their last-16 tie in the Champions League before a Carabao Cup final with Newcastle United at Wembley on Sunday, how will Slot reshuffle his pack this week?

One thing is almost for certain: there won't be wholesale changes. In defence, the most obvious one will be Andy Robertson, who will be expected to return at the expense of Tsimikas. The Greek international was one of three subs at half time, indicating the head coach's frustrations with how things were panning out against Ivan Juric's Saints.

With PSG's speedy and dangerous front three of Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia all expected to start, the full-backs will need to keep their concentrations levels at their highest on Tuesday night and the long-serving Robertson will surely return alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

Alisson Becker, who proved himself to be unbeatable at the Parc des Princes, will keep his place also. If Liverpool do emerge as quarter-finalists, they will speak about that first-leg performance for years and it will be etched as legendary if the Reds go all the way and win their seventh European Cup.

In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister is expected to return and it could be at the expense of Jones who was another of those three half-time substitutions. The Liverpool-born midfielder was excellent in his second-half cameo in Paris last week but did not grasp the nettle against the Saints as too many in the side struggled against a Southampton side who are relegation certainties.

Wataru Endo, as ever, will continue his role of second-half firefighter and will be kept in reserve on the night until needed later on in the game. It's a niche that the Japan captain has excelled at in recent weeks, although Harvey Elliott once more caught the eye when called into action by Slot.

It was Elliott's winning goal, just 47 seconds after his introduction, that turned the tie in Liverpool's favour and he was again impressive when called for against Southampton. The former Fulham teenager, though, will likely be introduced into action from the bench once more with Dominik Szoboszlai's boundless energy expected to be preferred. Ryan Gravenberch is an automatic pick, one suspects, despite the odd murmuring that the Netherlands international has looked tired at times of late.

Up top, one of the two major question revolves around Cody Gakpo and how close he is to a Liverpool comeback. The Dutchman has missed the last two games with an ankle issue and hasn't started for nearly a month, since the 2-2 draw at Everton. Slot will be in a position to update on his compatriot's condition when he speaks to the media on Monday evening at Anfield. Luis Diaz will start on the left if Gakpo is not ready.

Mohamed Salah, fresh from his brace of penalties to go third on the club's all-time list of scorers at the weekend, will start but the second issue is what Slot does with the No.9 role.

Diogo Jota was ineffective against PSG last week and it was only when Darwin Nunez came on did the French defence have something different to think about.

It was the Uruguay striker's power and persistence that unsettled them before he was able to supply Elliott for the winner and after his goal against Southampton, it is perhaps the former Benfica star who is winning that particular battle to be included.

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