After welcoming back a number of key men across the last two weeks, Jurgen Klopp has been dealt another injury blow ahead of Sunday’s trip to Arsenal.
It has emerged that Darwin Nunez is a doubt for this hotly anticipated clash between two Premier League title rivals as a result of a foot injury picked up against Chelsea.
The Uruguayan could still make it in the event the swelling subsides quickly enough, but it is tough to imagine he will be used from the start even should that be the case.
As such, the front three should largely pick itself in the continued absence of Mohamed Salah, with Cody Gakpo coming in up top to be flanked by Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz.
Behind them, Klopp is expected to have what looks like his first-choice midfield trio available, after the knee knock Alexis Mac Allister sustained against Chelsea turned out to be nothing serious.
Consequently, the Argentine will be in the holding role, with Curtis Jones and the fit-again Dominik Szoboszlai ahead of him.
The central elements of the back five should also pick themselves, with Alisson, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk likely starters.
However, Klopp is facing some difficult choices at full-back after his options were boosted by two recent returns.
In theory, Conor Bradley‘s form should make him undroppable, but it is difficult to see how Trent Alexander-Arnold can be kept benched for yet another game given the scale of his typical influence on such fixtures.
The manager may, though, be tempted to stick with Joe Gomez at left-back, in recognition of Bukayo Saka’s preference for cutting inside and the length of Andy Robertson‘s only recently ended lay-off.
Likely Liverpool XI vs. Arsenal: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones; Jota, Diaz, Gakpo
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