Arne Slot switched up his system in midweek and it got the desired result, and now he faces an important decision to stick or twist for the trip to Brentford.
Liverpool snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 rout against Frankfurt after a switch to a 4-2-4 system, and there is no shortage of desire to see the same application on Saturday evening.
The Reds have won all of their last five league meetings against Brentford, and this time they come up against more familiar faces in Caoimhin Kelleher and Jordan Henderson.
Slot changed things around in midweek, but now has a number of injuries to consider. So, how could he line up his side in the capital?
Team news: 1 more out, 2 in doubt
Arne Slot offered a big update on Liverpool’s injury list, and it wasn’t the most encouraging update:
• Jeremie Frimpong “not in a good place” – hamstring injury to “take a while”
• Alexander Isak (groin) is not “too bad” but in doubt vs. Brentford
• Ryan Gravenberch (ankle) to undergo fitness test on Friday
• Alisson‘s hamstring injury is “going to take a little bit longer”
Liverpool’s XI vs. Brentford
There are a number of ways Slot could approach his side’s latest away fixture, and that will include reverting to the 4-2-3-1 system and making a few changes.
Conor Bradley is an obvious inclusion after Frimpong’s injury, which would also allow Dominik Szoboszlai to continue in midfield where he is more effective.
Andy Robertson has yet to start in the Premier League this season and that makes Milos Kerkez‘s return to the XI feel inevitable.
With Gravenberch missing midweek with an ankle injury, there is no reason to rush him back after Curtis Jones and Szoboszlai impressed by sharing the defensive workload in Germany.
Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are all deserving of their places, and it would be hard to see Slot keep Mo Salah out of his lineup for two successive games when he is fit to start.
That would make for three changes from midweek:
Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
There is a world where Slot sticks with his 4-2-4 system, which also looked like 4-4-2 out of possession, as Brentford could look to be slightly more defensive themselves.
Salah is the clear candidate to replace Isak following his groin issue, but Federico Chiesa could also be turned to in what would be only his second league start at the club.
It may be unlikely, but on form you could strongly debate that Slot should finally give the Italian an opportunity after biding his time on the bench.
Robertson, meanwhile, could be retained to keep consistency after the win, and perhaps even if Gravenberch is fit to start, Slot may look to do the same with Jones – it would be his first back-to-back starts of the campaign.
Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Szoboszlai; Wirtz, Chiesa, Ekitike, Gakpo
That the abovementioned lineups do not include Alexis Mac Allister highlights the improvement and form he still needs to discover, though the Argentine will also be in contention to return.
Slot’s selection could heavily depend on the availability of Gravenberch, who Liverpool will be hesitant to risk considering his importance to the midfield.
Brentford will be ready to test the Reds’ resolve after three league defeats on the spin, but Slot’s side know they will create chances, it is just a case of finishing them.
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