Liverpool face Arsenal in an early top of the table Premier League clash on Sunday, with both teams looking to maintain perfect starts.
Arsenal have been a little more convincing than the Reds, coming away from Old Trafford with a 1-0 win, before a 5-0 thumping of Leeds.
Liverpool have struggled a little by contrast, twice giving up two-goal leads before going on to win late against Bournemouth and then Newcastle.
Arne Slot and his team have some things to work on before the big game at Anfield, and as they aim to pick up what would be a big win, here’s the XI we expect to see Slot pick.
Arne Slot pictured pitchside before Liverpool's Premier League match against Newcastle United at St James' Park.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Defence
Liverpool could really do with keeping some clean sheets in the Premier League very soon. Against a team who barely concede themselves, Alisson Becker will go in search of a shutout.
The full-back positions have become a problem for Slot early on into this season, with Dominik Szoboszlai forced into playing as an emergency right-back at Newcastle.
Conor Bradley has trained this week, though, and as long as he shows no ill-effects ahead of the match, we think he’ll return here.
Some fans would perhaps like to see Ibrahima Konate taken out of the firing line after a difficult start to the campaign, but Slot has little choice but to play him again.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
In the meantime, Virgil van Dijk is nailed on to start alongside the Frenchman yet again.
Left-back has been another area for scrutiny, with Jamie Carragher criticising Milos Kerkez for some ‘really poor’ performances so far. On a weekend where he has been named Liverpool’s new vice-captain, we think the experience of Andy Robertson will be called upon against the Gunners.
Midfield
The big question for Slot in the midfield ahead of his mammoth clash is that of whether Alexis Mac Allister will be fit.
Having sat out of the Newcastle game with a knock, we’d be surprised to see the Argentine return for such a tricky fixture.
READ MORE: Hugo Ekitike could do something against Arsenal which no Liverpool player has managed for 132 years
Instead, we think Slot will push Szoboszlai back to a more regular midfield position, with Ryan Gravenberch certain to start alongside him.
Slot has praised Gravenberch in the lead-up to the game and it will be fascinating to watch his battle with former Liverpool transfer target Martin Zubimendi.
Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz will be given the chance to get his Liverpool career properly up and running on a big afternoon at Anfield.
Attack
Liverpool fans will be hoping against hope that Alexander Isak will have joined their club by the time kick-off rolls around on Sunday.
But even if the Swede does sign on the dotted line, he will not be involved in this one.
Instead, Slot has little option but to name the same three he has in each of Liverpool’s two Premier League fixtures so far.
That will mean Mohamed Salah from the right, Cody Gakpo from the left and Hugo Ekitike looking to make it four goals in four through the middle.
Liverpool Predicted XI vs Arsenal
Liverpool Predicted XI vs Arsenal