So fewer than 72 hours after putting in a strong performance to beat Arsenal in a league match, Liverpool face the Gunners again at Anfield, this time in the EFL Cup.
Last week Jürgen made 10 changes to the team from the previous match (when he had more time between games) Last year he made between 8-11 changes to the starting XI for every single Cup match we played. With Villa coming up in the league Sunday in even less time from the end of this one, I expect Jürgen will go full rotation again.
Lineup certainties:
I think we see Adrian in goal, Neco Williams at right back and Kostas Tsimikas at left back.
James Milner and Curtis Jones will start in midfield.
Diogo Jota and Taki Minamino will also start, either in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 (in which case Taki would be the central attacking midfielder).
Lineup Uncertainties
After that I'm not so sure about the other four starting positions. Last week Fabinho and Virgil split the game at one center half, with Rhys Williams at the other making his first team debut. But now Fab, Virgil and Joe Gomez have all played 90 minutes just last night. Joe in particular is coming off an injury, but Fab and Virgil probably could both use night off. Joel Matip is still out injured, but using Rhys, 17-year old Billy Koumetio and/or Sepp Van Den Berg to play the two center half positions seems extremely risky, no matter who Arsenal decide to use in the game.
Then there is the third midfield spot. Does Jürgen go with Shaqiri again, or does Marko Grujic get the nod after a good outing last week? Shaq could also play in a front three, but then there may be no room Divock Origi and/or Harvey Elliott.
Obviously a much tougher task than last week vs. Lincoln. What do you think Reds? How is Jürgen going to play it?
Logged