Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Liverpool next face Everton in the Merseyside derby and several of their players will benefit from the Reds not having a game this weekend.
It's something that has to be considered after each international break.
Jurgen Klopp got it wrong occasionally. Alexis Mac Allister's laboured first-half performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 2023 saw the midfielder withdrawn at the interval. The Liverpool boss admitted that Mac Allister was 'relieved' to have been taken off, having been on a yellow card and with the Reds trailing 1-0. The long flight back from South America after representing Argentina was the reason why Mac Allister was fatigued.
And in Arne Slot's only Premier League defeat as Liverpool head coach, he may also accept making a mistake playing Mac Allister and Luis Diaz immediately after they jetted back to Merseyside halfway across the globe. The Reds lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield last September, with Mac Allister and Luis Diaz (Colombia) withdrawn after an hour.
In fairness to Slot, he did learn from it. Following the October international break, Liverpool earned a 2-1 win over Chelsea with Mac Allister, Diaz and Darwin Nunez (Uruguay) all starting on the bench. Then in a 3-2 victory at Southampton following the final international fixtures of 2024, Mac Allister and Diaz were again among the substitutes. Nunez played 89 minutes but that was due to Diogo Jota being injured at the time.
It is something Slot will frequently have to consider after his South American contingency represent their respective nations. But the Liverpool boss has no such dilemma for the next fixture. The Reds have not played for almost two weeks following a 2-1 loss to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final. Before that, they were knocked out of the Champions League last 16 at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
It was a damaging week for Liverpool and the first time Slot suffered back-to-back defeats in the Anfield hot seat. Arsenal will be hoping it is the start of a collapse and a glimmer of hope that the Premier League leaders can still be caught. The Reds are 12 points clear at the summit, having played one match more than the Gunners. They are back in action when they face Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Wednesday.
Mac Allister has been one of Liverpool's most consistent performers in the charge towards the top-flight crown. However, he did look jaded at Wembley and played twice for Argentina in a 1-0 win against Uruguay and a historic 4-1 triumph over Brazil - with the midfielder on the scoresheet.
Diaz, meanwhile, bagged in both of Colombia's games - a 2-1 loss to Brazil and a 2-2 draw with Paraguay. Nunez played in Uruguay's defeat by Argentina and a 0-0 draw against Bolivia.
While Slot would prefer that Liverpool were in FA Cup action this weekend, the benefit is at least that the trio will get extra time to recharge their batteries. Mac Allister and Diaz are both in the fray to start against Everton, which will be an intense battle.
Last month's 2-2 draw at Goodison Park was a firecracker, with Slot's maiden taste of the Merseyside derby a baptism of fire. The Liverpool chief and assistant Sipke Hulshoff were sent off following the full-time whistle and were handed respective two-game touchline bans.
Meanwhile, Alisson Becker returned from Brazil duty after the Colombia game after a head collision. The goalkeeper was following concussion protocol and allayed fears about a potential injury. It means the No.1 has also had more rest than usual as Liverpool aim to take another step closer to their 20th league title.