Liverpool are back in Premier League action after the international break when they cross swords with Everton on Saturday’s lunchtime derby at Anfield.
The Reds entered October’s international break on the back of a 2-2 draw with Brighton away. Having started the 2023/24 season in fine fashion, a defeat and a draw in the last two Premier League games have seen them drop to fourth in the table, however.
The game at home to Everton will commence another busy period of seven games in 23 days for Liverpool, and Jurgen Klopp will want to get some momentum back after a couple of setbacks prior to the break.
Liverpool Team News
Liverpool suffered a big blow during the international break when Andy Robertson suffered a dislocated shoulder in Scotland’s 2-0 Euro 2024 qualifying defeat to Spain. The club are poised to discover whether the Scotland international will require an operation to repair the damage, which would rule him out for a significantly lengthy period.
Robertson joins Cody Gakpo and Stefan Bajcetic on the treatment table, with Gakpo and Bajcetic being labelled a doubt for the upcoming Merseyside derby. Thiago Alcantara is another player on the comeback trail while Caoimhin Kelleher has recently suffered a knee injury.
Diogo Jota will be available for selection again after serving a one-game suspension, but Curtis Jones continues to serve his three-match ban following a red card at Tottenham.
Predicted Liverpool lineup vs Everton (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper
Liverpool’s undisputed No.1, Alisson Becker will want to start the busy period of games for the Reds with a clean sheet against Everton.
Defence
Kostas Tsimikas will be the ideal candidate to replace the injured Andy Robertson at left-back. The Greece international will join Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Liverpool backline.
Van Dijk will partner Matip in central defence, with Alexander-Arnold, who was an unused substitute in England’s 3-1 Euro 2024 qualifying win over Italy on Tuesday evening, keeping his place at right-back.
Midfield
Alexis Mac Allister should hold the fort in midfield for the home side, looking to take control of the game as early as possible against Everton. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch will join Mac Allister in Liverpool’s engine room, acting as two creative No.8s.
The trio will be responsible for recycling possession and creating opportunities in the final third, as well as protecting the Liverpool defence that has looked vulnerable in the last couple of games. Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliot must settle for a role on the bench at the weekend.
Attack
Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are expected to operate on either side of Darwin Nunez, who scored in Uruguay’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Brazil on Tuesday. With their pace, dynamism and flair, the trio can cause Everton’s defence a lot of problems at Anfield.
Diogo Jota is free from suspension and should be included in the squad. There is also a chance of Cody Gakpo being available to face Everton.
