Liverpool will resume their hot pursuit of the Premier League title when they host local rivals Everton this Wednesday in the Merseyside derby.
The Reds found themselves at the receiving end of a massive upset when Plymouth Argyle triumphed 1-0 over them in the FA Cup 4th Round while ending their hopes of a quadruple in the process.
Playing a second-string side with no prominent options from the bench was cited as one of the reasons for the defeat, but the Reds have a great opportunity to get back into the groove against the Toffees.
Liverpool’s dominance in the Premier League and Champions League under Arne Slot this season has led to them being considered a juggernaut in Europe this season. Sitting at the top of the Premier League table, the Reds can extend the lead to nine points if they emerge victorious in the derby.
Meanwhile, Everton are seemingly enjoying a revival under David Moyes, winning their last three league games on the trot. They will enter the contest with a lot of confidence despite losing their FA Cup fourth-round game against Bournemouth over the weekend.
Team News
Slot made 10 changes to the starting eleven for the FA Cup game against Plymouth Argyle, which eventually proved costly. Now, he is expected to revert to his tried and tested combination, with a handful of superstar names coming back to the Liverpool lineup.
In terms of absentees, Joe Gomez is the latest name after injuring his hamstring in the defeat against Plymouth Argyle.
Meanwhile, talismanic right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who missed the last two games against Tottenham Hotspur and Plymouth, has taken part in the latest training sessions but a late call will be taken regarding his availability.
Predicted Liverpool line-up vs Everton (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
Alisson Becker will regain his spot as the No.1 after being rested against Plymouth.
Defence
Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk will return to the Liverpool lineup after a much-needed respite, and the centre-back duo will be key to keeping a revitalised Everton attack at bay.
Meanwhile, Andrew Robertson will return as the left-back, while Conor Bradley, who didn’t feature against Plymouth, will grab the right-back spot, in case TAA fails to recover in time for the fixture.
Midfield
The midfield will be fortified with the return of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, who have been among the best in Europe this season.
Attack
Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo are expected to feature in the Liverpool lineup and will go all guns blazing after watching the team struggle on the pitch over the weekend.
Luis Diaz should retain his place at the tip of the attack.
