Our Liverpool FC writers select their line-ups for tonight’s Champions League clash with Inter at the San Siro
Liverpool will hope to do their talking on the pitch tonight with victory in their tricky Champions League test at Inter (8pm kick-off). The days leading up to the San Siro showdown have been dominated by what has been said off it.
Namely, of course, the explosive comments Mohamed Salah made after Saturday’s 3-3 Premier League draw at Leeds United. The third highest goalscorer in Liverpool history has paid the price by being omitted from the injury and illness-hit Reds squad that has travelled to Italy.
That is untimely given Arne Slot will be without Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and a number of other players. What, then, is the Reds head coach to do?
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Our writers have their say…
Paul Gorst
So no Cody Gakpo, no Federico Chiesa and an Alexander Isak on half-speed for a difficult away-day at last season’s Champions League runners-up. Just the time for Mohamed Salah to talk his way out of a return to the Liverpool team, right?
Arne Slot could really use a player of Salah’s gifts in the San Siro tonight and the fact that he has been deemed unavailable for selection says it all for how dimly viewed his post-match reaction was at Leeds United on Saturday evening.
Salah may well have played his last match. He almost certainly has before he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday’s visit from Brighton & Hove Albion. So, just who does Slot turn to now?
Despite his reluctance to ever play both of them together, Slot has little choice but to name Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak in the same line-up today. Florian Wirtz must also feature and it might just offer a tantalising glimpse into the future of the Reds’ attack, which is what all three were brought in for.
At right-back, Conor Bradley is suspended for the visit of Brighton anyway, so the Northern Ireland international should start over Joe Gomez and I am recalling Andy Robertson on the left.
In midfield, I am recalling Alexis Mac Allister for Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai all keep their places.
Rio Ngumoha is tasked with being the young cavalry off the bench in lieu of Gakpo, Chiesa and Salah.
My team: (4-3-3): Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Wirtz, Isak, Ekitike.
Ian Doyle
Did you know? Mohamed Salah won’t be involved for Liverpool this evening in their Champions League game at Inter in Italy.
Nor will quite a few other injured or ill players. And that’s why there isn’t much scope for Arne Slot regards team selection.
What, then, is the Reds boss to do?
Alisson Becker is in goal. And the time has come to give Ibrahima Konate a rest, with Joe Gomez coming in at centre-back alongside captain Virgil van Dijk. Andy Robertson can have a go at left-back, while Conor Bradley stays the right-back.
In midfield, a slight change. Alexis Mac Allister is back alongside Ryan Graveberch in the double pivot, and Florian Wirtz is the number 10.
Up top, with not many options, it’s Hugo Ekitike down the middle, with Dominik Szoboszlai again on the right and Curtis Jones shifting over to the left.
My team (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Bradley, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Jones; Ekiti.
Theo Squires
As the fallout from Mohamed Salah’s explosive comments at the weekend continues, Liverpool are down to the bare bones without him for their trip to Inter Milan.
Arne Slot named a 19-man squad, and with Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and Jeremie Frimpong all absent, along with Wataru Endo, the Reds look rather short in attack.
As a result, Slot might have no choice but to change formation at the San Siro. I’d go for a 4-3-1-2, which at least unleashes Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike upfront together in their preferred positions, with Florian Wirtz tucked in behind in his own favoured number 10 role.
In midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai joins Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones, with Alexis Mac Allister left on the bench.
In principle, such a set-up could work similarly to the 4-4-2 system utilised when out of possession for the 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt, with both Szoboszlai and Jones capable of pushing out wide with Wirtz then dropping to the opposing flank.
And in defence, it is rather tempting to drop Ibrahima Konate after another difficult showing against Leeds United. But with Conor Bradley suspended for the weekend’s clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, I’m wrapping Joe Gomez up in cotton wool and holding him back for that.
As a result, it’s an unchanged back four with Milos Kerkez also continuing at left-back.
My team (4-3-1-2): Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones; Wirtz; Isak, Ekitike.
Mark Jones
It’s only a 19-man squad for the Reds in Milan but in reality how many of those have actually got a chance of starting? With all due respect to Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman, Wellity Lucky, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, it’s really only 14 isn’t it?
In theory that leaves Arne Slot with only three personnel decisions to make then, and while the world might be screaming for Ibrahima Konate to come out of the team I’m not sure he will, with Joe Gomez being protected for a stint at right-back against Brighton on Saturday when Conor Bradley is suspended. I’d keep Andy Robertson on the bench too, as Milos Kerkez has been better of late.
In midfield I think Curtis Jones deserves to keep his place over the underwhelming Alexis Mac Allister at the moment, and then Alexander Isak seems certain to come in for the absent Cody Gakpo.
That’s the 11 players sorted then, but what about the formation? I’d like to see something that resembles a box midfield or a diamond with Florian Wirtz at the tip of it, with the Reds getting him on the ball as often as possible and feeding passes through to Isak and Hugo Ekitike. That’ll work won’t it? Won’t it?!
My team (4-2-2-2): Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Isak, Ekitike.
