Liverpool will aim to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League season when they take on Arsenal on Sunday. The Reds play the third of seven games in 21 days with a trip to the Emirates.
Arne Slot’s side have won 11 of their first 12 games in all competitions under their new boss and could open up a seven-point lead on their fellow title contenders with victory.
Now Liverpool will hope to continue that momentum in their latest trip to London. But should Slot shake up his starting line-up? Our writers have their say…
Paul Gorst
With 11 victories from his first 12 matches as Liverpool boss, Arne Slot will be forgiven for sticking to the old adage of not changing a winning team and the Reds head coach only has a couple of real selection dilemmas for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal.
I expect Andy Robertson to return for Kostas Tsimikas on the left side of defence and we know Caoimhin Kelleher will continue deputising for Alisson Becker in goal. Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk are forming quite a fearsome partnership centrally while Trent Alexander-Arnold was excellent from a defensive point of view against Chelsea.
In midfield, the major issue is whether or not Curtis Jones is recalled after missing out on the starting line-up of Wednesday’s trip to RB Leipzig on the back of his outstanding display against Chelsea at Anfield.
This might be a game for Dominik Szoboszlai’s running power, though. The Hungary captain spoke about doing ‘the dirty job’ in midfield earlier this week and such a performance will once more be needed to help stifle Arsenal’s midfield and deny them wind for their sails. Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch both start.
Up top, Luis Diaz comes in for Cody Gakpo. The former always seems to cause problems for the Gunners with his direct running style so he just about gets the nod over Gakpo, who is having a good season himself. Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah start.
My team (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez.
