There is no respite for Liverpool as they prepare to play a fourth game in nine days, this time at Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
The relentless run of games has yet to lead to an injury crisis for Arne Slot, but his players are certainly feeling the pinch as they juggle league action with FA Cup and Carabao Cup commitments.
Of the three games Liverpool have played in the last week and a half, they have only come out victorious against Accrington Stanley in League Two. Manchester United took a deserved point at Anfield earlier Tottenham upset the apple cart with a narrow win over the Reds in the first leg of the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.
Tuesday’s clash against Forest is another very tough test, with Nuno Espirito Santo surprisingly sitting in third place after a string of fantastic results. In fact, they are just six points adrift of Liverpool’s points total at the top and have won their last six games in a row in all competitions.
Here’s how Liverpool could line up at The City Ground.
GK: Alisson – Liverpool’s No.1 goalkeeper sat out the weekend’s FA Cup tie but will be back here straight away.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – Criticized for his performance against Man Utd, Alexander-Arnold responded in the only way he knows how during his hour-long stint against Accrington – smashing one into the top corner from 20 yards.
CB: Ibrahima Konate – with Joe Gomez sidelined with a hamstring injury for the foreseeable and Jarell Quansah not at the forefront of Slot’s mind, it is Konate who forms alongside Alexander-Arnold.
CB: Virgil van Dijk – The Reds skipper was able to put his feet up on Saturday but will put on tighter boots to prepare for 12-goal Chris Wood.
LB: Andy Robertson – Robertson’s decline in performance levels has been noticeable, but he may still be a more consistent operator than Kostas Tsimikas. The Greek played the full 90 minutes against Accrington, suggesting he will return to the bench this time around.
DM: Ryan Gravenberch – One of the surprise packages of the season, it’s probably a fair comment to say that Gravenberch is now one of the first names on Slot’s team sheet.
DM: Alexis McAllister – Similarly, Mac Allister continues to grow in midfield and looks like a bargain with each passing day. If there is one criticism of the 26-year-old, it’s that he doesn’t score enough goals, one in 18. Premier League The looks certainly don’t feel enough given their quality.
RW: Mohamed Salah – A player who has no trouble finding the back of the net is undoubtedly one of the best in the Premier League. 18 goals for the season with an average of one every 93 minutes is elite.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai – The Hungarian international will compete with Curtis Jones for the attacking midfielder role; not much, but Szoboszlai can get the nod.
LW: Cody Gakpo – The Dutchman’s arrival at Anfield after the 2022 World Cup surprised many, given the wealth of quality then-manager Jurgen Klopp already had at his disposal. But Gakpo is now one of the key components of LiverpoolThe leading line of 12 in all competitions so far.
ST: Luis Diaz – Diogo Jota is working hard to regain his starting place and with Darwin Nunez out through suspension, there is every chance he could get Slot support. However, Diaz has been fantastic for Liverpool on the road and is hard to overlook.
