On Saturday afternoon, Liverpool will entertain Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota will both hope to start against Nottingham Forest (Image: Getty)
Arne Slot, the new manager at Liverpool, will look to build on his unblemished start by defeating Nottingham Forest at home this afternoon (Saturday). Having won his first three Premier League games, the Dutchman has a nearly full roster from which to select.
Harvey Elliott, however, is missing a significant amount of time due to a fractured foot and is anticipated to be out for several weeks. Federico Chiesa may be able to make his Forest debut in some capacity as a result of his absence following his £12.5 million deal from Juventus.
Liverpool predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Although backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher’s admission that he wants to leave the team has increased pressure on Slot to satisfy everyone, Alisson is one of the most skilled stoppers in the Premier League, thus his place in the starting lineup is probably safe.
Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson in defence
After substituting Ibrahima Konate for Jarell Quansah midway into his debut at Ipswich Town, Slot has not looked back. Since then, the French international has continued to play with Virgil van Dijk, and the Reds have not let up a goal.
Despite Trent Alexander-Arnold’s apparent dissatisfaction at being substituted in all three games, Andrew Robertson and Alexander-Arnold are also lock to start at full-back, and Conor Bradley, his backup, is a highly-regarded player.
Gravenberch and Mac Allister play defensive midfield.
One of the biggest surprises of the season thus far has been Ryan Gravenberch, who thrived in a double pivot with Alexis Mac Allister after slogging through the previous season under Jurgen Klopp. Since the two outperformed Wataru Endo against Manchester United two weeks ago, it makes sense to maintain them in position.
Midfield attackers Salah, Szoboszlai, and Diaz
Chiesa could play against Forest, but it’s more probable that he’ll open the game from the bench. The Italian may attribute this to the exceptional performance of Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, who have both been on a roll this season and are currently playing at full capacity. In Slot’s 4-2-3-1 configuration, Dominik Szoboszlai has found a fresh lease of life as a traditional No. 10, and the Hungarian appears certain to hold onto his position this weekend.
Attacker: Jota
In comparison to Salah’s six goals and Diaz’s four, Diogo Jota’s two goals in three games is a meagre return, and Slot has to decide whether to play Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, two other attackers. However, Jota is essential to the way Liverpool’s front three plays, so it makes sense for Slot to name an unchanged lineup considering Elliott’s injury is the only recent setback.
