League leaders Liverpool return to Premier League football after the international break with a trip to Burnley, and Arne Slot has a few team selection decisions to make.
The visit to Turf Moor represents the first game since the club completed a £125million move for Alexander Isak, but the former Newcastle striker has had limited training time this season, making his starting spot a doubt.
Elsewhere, Slot has injuries to contend with, including Curtis Jones and Jeremie Frimpong, who are all in varying stages of their recovery. With all that in mind, this is how we reckon Liverpool will line up to face Scott Parker’s team.
GK: Alisson
It’s an easy one to start with, as Alisson Becker will play in goal despite his beloved Jair Bolsonaro getting banged up in Brazil.
He has played every minute of the season so far and even with back-to-back games during the international break, it is hard to see how he does not keep his spot for the visit to Burnley.
RB: Jeremie Frimpong
Summer signing Frimpong picked up an injury in Liverpool’s opening match against Bournemouth, but Slot said at the time he was hopeful the defender would be back after the international break.
He seems to be on track for that schedule as he returned to training this week and with Liverpool playing on Sunday rather than Saturday, Frimpong should be back in the team.
CB: Virgil van Dijk
Club captain Van Dijk will play in the middle of a defence that has looked shaky at times this season.
The Anfield side have conceded in two of their three games so far and with his usual centre-back partner struggling so far this year, the Dutchman will have to step up.
CB: Ibrahima Konate
Konate hobbled off in Liverpool’s game against Arsenal, but the initial diagnosis was that it was not an injury that would keep the defender out for a long time.
Slot revealed that Konate believed it to be cramp and the player started both of France’s World Cup qualifiers, so looks set to be in the team on Sunday.
However, it has been a shaky season so far for the Real Madrid target and he has looked the most vulnerable member of Liverpool’s back line.
LB: Milos Kerkez
The former Bournemouth defender put in his best performance of the season so far last time out against Arsenal and Slot will be hoping that is a sign of things to come.
After being hooked in Liverpool’s first game, he has played every minute since.
CM: Ryan Gravenberch
It is no surprise that the game in which Liverpool have looked the most vulnerable so far this season was the one where Gravenberch, the revelation of last season, was missing.
Since the Dutchman’s return, he has been a crucial part of the team and even got on the scoresheet against Newcastle.
CM: Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool are enduring a mini-injury crisis in midfield with Slot confirming that Curtis Jones will miss out due to an injury he picked up against Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister’s Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni revealed during the international break that the World Cup winner was “not at 100 per cent.”
The midfielder did play the full 90 against Ecuador, but given the travel and the fact that Frimpong should be back, we would expect Szoboszlai to move into midfield.
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RW: Mo Salah
Just one goal and one assist represent a slow start by Salah’s lofty standards, but it is hard to imagine a world where Slot even considers dropping him.
During the international break, he jetted off with Egypt and scored in their 2-0 win over Ethiopia before only playing a half in a 0-0 draw at Burkina Faso.
Even with those air miles, we would expect to see him start on Sunday.
CAM: Florian Wirtz
After a summer of excitement, there have begun to be a few critical voices of the £116million Wirtz as he has failed to register a shot or assist so far this campaign.
But a look behind the numbers suggests the German’s talents will not always be obvious by goals alone.
Only Gakpo has a higher xA per game and Wirtz nears the top of Liverpool’s best dribbler statistics.
He is strong defensively too, winning possession back 1.1 times per 90 which only Jones can claim to have bettered.
And he also scored a cracking free-kick against Northern Ireland on international duty. Expect an upturn in form sooner rather than later.
LW: Cody Gakpo
By some accounts, it is Gakpo rather than Ekitike that should be most concerned about the arrival of Isak, but the Netherlands international has started this season well.
Two assists against Newcastle followed a goal on the opening day against Bournemouth and even if he did not score against Arsenal, he contributed in other areas.
We expect him to start against Burnley and he will want to prove that it is not his place that Isak should have.
ST: Hugo Ekitike
It may be hard to leave a £125million striker on the bench but there are two reasons why Slot may well do just that.
First of all, Isak has barely kicked a ball in the last few months and his return to the Swedish national team was his first time training with a senior team.
He managed 18 minutes in their loss to Kosovo so it is hard to see Slot trusting him to start here.
Secondly, Ekitike’s form has been deserving of him keeping his place in the team.
The Frenchman is the club’s top scorer so far this season and has not looked like a new signing at all given how well he has linked with his new team-mates.
Plus, with Isak watching on, the 23-year-old may feel inspired to prove he deserved the No.9 spot.
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