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Federico Chiesa scored in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final loss against Newcastle but has yet to start a game in the Premier League.
Arne Slot has insisted that he trusts Federico Chiesa to make a Liverpool impact. But it is unlikely that the Italian will get a chance to start in the Merseyside derby despite his goalscoring impact last time out.
Chiesa has endured a frustrating maiden campaign since arriving at Anfield from Juventus for £10 million last summer. The winger was short of fitness after signing, having been frozen out by the Italian side during pre-season, and spent a period sidelined with injury.
The 27-year-old is still to feature from the outset in the Premier League title charge. However, his consolation goal in the 2-1 defeat by Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley before the international break was one of the few positives to take.
Chiesa’s intervention has led to sections of fans calling on him to start when the Reds face Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Wednesday. Liverpool have had struggles in the centre-forward position, with Diogo Jota out of form and Darwin Nunez out of favour.
However, Slot has suggested that Chiesa’s best role is on the right-hand side of the attack - and 32-goal talisman Mo Salah is the undisputed first choice. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Liverpool head coach said: “It wasn’t only that I didn’t see a lot of him because we had so many games but it was also because he was injured more than he and we wanted. It was good to see that he impacted the game when he came in.
“That has happened a lot this season when players came in. Harvey Elliott who got the assist has impacted the game in the last three or four matches now. It is partly my job and the players’ job to stay ready for the moment when we need him.
“At the moment, he is in competition with Mo Salah and I don’t think you can deny Mo has had quite a good season. That makes it sometimes tough for him but we know we can trust him when we need him. Not only him but maybe some of the other ones who haven’t played as much as Mo or Virgil [van Dijk] but we can trust them every time we need them.”
Slot prepares to take charge of his second Merseyside derby. He was given somewhat of a baptism of fire in his maiden taste of the famous fixture at Goodison Park in February. Everton defender James Tarkowski netted a 97th-minute equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw and a melee ensued after the full-time whistle. Slot and assistant boss Sipke Hulsoff were both given red cards, as well as Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and the Blues’ Abdoulaye Doucoure.
On the upcoming showdown, Slot believes that the game will be similar only the home advantage will prove important for Liverpool. He said: "I expect the same. But with one difference: that every time the Everton players do something well, they don't get the cheers and the reactions from 50,000 people - I don't know how many can go in at Goodison Park.
"Our players will get that reaction after every tackle they make, after every pass they do and that is a different emotion. Football-wise I expect the same because this is what Everton have done in the last nine or 10 games since David Moyes is in charge.”