Though there's a risk of beating a weathered drum here, Liverpool's Premier League clash at Everton's new state-of-the-art stadium on Sunday is one that Arne Slot cannot afford to lose.
He needs a win, and a good performance to boot. In recent weeks, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have inflicted knockout blows on the Reds in the FA Cup and Champions League respectively. Both by a four-goal scoreline.
Everything rests on qualifying for Europe's elite competition via a top-five finish. This is the shallowest of base expectations, but it would at least allow the Reds to go again next season.
Liverpool won only one of their final eight matches at Goodison Park, and Slot will be hoping for happier hunting on Sunday. So much, it goes without saying, is on the line, and to secure three points, the coach may consider a bold call in naming Alexander Isak as a substitute.
Why Slot should drop Isak for Liverpool
When Liverpool signed Isak from Newcastle United in a record-breaking £125m deal, they expected to land a superstar who would lead them to silverware. That could still happen, of course, but it certainly hasn't happened yet.
Liverpool striker Alexander isak
They will need the Sweden striker to find form quickly all right, with Hugo Ekitike out for (probably) the rest of 2026 after rupturing his Achilles against PSG. It's a terrible, terrible injury for an elite athlete, and it could be over a year until the prolific Frenchman hits top form again.
Make no mistake, Isak is one of the deadliest forwards in the world. Hailed by Jamie Carragher as "the best striker in the Premier League right now" in January 2025. Unfortunately, we have yet to see anything close to resembling his Newcastle form, and that aside, his current fitness poses a risk in the Merseyside derby.
Liverpool's Top Scorers (2025/26)
Player
Hugo Ekitike
Dominik Szoboszlai
Mohamed Salah
Cody Gakpo
Florian Wirtz
Alexander Isak
Isak has not been in fine scoring form this season, but with Ekitike out, you can understand why Slot might be inclined to start him against Everton, even though his fitness levels continue to leave something to be desired.
However, Liverpool do have a wildcard in their new version of Divock Origi.
Liverpool wildcard could emerge as the new Origi
Decades later, Origi will still be remembered at Anfield. He was a man for the big moments, and his Champions League-sealing strike against Tottenham Hotspur in the 2019 final has secured his cult status.
The Belgian also loved a goal against Everton, and Slot's side could certainly do with a forward as clutch as him this weekend. However, they might just have one in Federico Chiesa.
FFC in-text wider Origi
Now, let's get something straight: the chances of Chiesa starting in the Merseyside derby are slim. Slot has only given him one starting berth in the top flight this season, a 2-1 win over bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Anfield.
However, there's an enduring sense among the Liverpool persuasion that this tenacious and talented attacker could offer so much more. He scored the winner against Bournemouth on the opening day and popped up again with a big goal against Crystal Palace, securing parity late on (though the Reds went on to lose in the last moments).
In this, the 28-year-old echoes something of Origi's come-up-trumps style, actually hailed as a "Divock Origi regen" by reporter Lewis Oldham for his ability to withstand intense pressure and provide for his team.
Several promising performances in the Carabao Cup have ultimately failed to provide Chiesa with a platform to perform on a regular basis, but with options slim ahead of this crucial clash, this could prove an interesting way for Slot to disrupt Everton's preparations, starting a dynamic, hard-working player at number nine.
Chiesa's lateral approach to attacking might require Salah to play closer to the penalty area than has been the case for much of the season. This might benefit the outgoing Egyptian. Jeremie Frimpong's pace and energy out wide would help facilitate this.
Isak would be expected to enter the fray in the second half and make a difference, but perhaps that could be a better way for Slot to go about his structuring. The 26-year-old was anonymous in the Champions League before being hooked at half-time, taking five touches.
Federico-Chiesa
Whether Liverpool start their new Origi remains to be seen, but Slot is at risk of becoming far too predictable in laying out his match plans, and due to the absence of options, this might just be the perfect way to combat a hostile Everton opponent whose defenders will look to swallow Isak whole.
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