Liverpool could make plenty of changes to their starting eleven to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League today.
The reds face Nottingham Forest looking to close the gap to table-toppers Tottenham back to three points today. The Reds have won twice at Anfield already in the past eight days and are seeking a third successive home win across all competitions to continue their strong start to the 2023-24 Premier League season. Express Sport looks at how Jurgen Klopp may line up…
Goalkeeper – Alisson
The first of eight potential changes will come in goal. Caoimhin Kelleher played in the Europa League win over Toulouse on Thursday night but will drop back down to the bench here with No 1 Alisson returning and looking for back-to-back clean sheets. He was unable to shut Forest out home or away last year.
Defence – Tsimikas, Van Dijk, Konate, Alexander-Arnold
Vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold is the only defender expected to keep his place from midweek having been replaced on 66 minutes. Captain Virgil van Dijk will return to the heart of the backline.
Ibrahima Konate is the main candidate to partner him. It is then between Kostas Tsimikas and Joe Gomez to start at left-back but the Greek should get another chance to impress in the injured Andy Robertson’s absence despite his poor form so far this term.
Midfield – Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai
Curtis Jones played against Toulouse and is back from a three-match ban but Ryan Gravenberch is expected to start a third successive match after scoring and coming off on 70 minutes against the French team. Jones played 89 by contrast and is likelier to start again versus Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup next Wednesday.
In the four games he’s started, the Dutchman has two goals and an assist. He will join the first-choice duo of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, both rested altogether in Europe, against Forest. Klopp then has Jones, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott all in reserve.
Attack – Diaz, Nunez, Salah
Diogo Jota has five goals in 11 games this season but could drop out of the starting line-up here after playing the full 90 in the Europa League. Darwin Nunez scored one and came away with a comical assist for Gravenberch’s goal and the always-involved Uruguayan may lead the line here.
The nine-goal Mohamed Salah will hope to build on back-to-back Premier League braces from the right while Luis Diaz will be stationed on the left. Jota and the fit-again Cody Gakpo will provide the artillery off the bench.
Predicted Liverpool XI vs Nottingham Forest in full: Alisson; Tsimikas, Van Dijk, Konate, Alexander-Arnold; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Diaz, Nunez, Salah
