Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces a selection dilemma in at least two positions as factors come into consideration. Return from injuries and current form will both play an important part in final selection.
Coming on the back of three consecutive losses, the North West Derby comes at a crucial juncture for the Reds. The team will be looking to get back to winning ways, after sliding down to second on the table. For United too they will be attempting to win two league games in a row for the first time under Ruben Amorim.
With such high stakes, team selection is of paramount importance.
Quiz: Name the team Liverpool signed these players from in the 2010s
Selection dilemma for Arne Slot
Arne Slot faces a selection dilemma ahead of Manchester United clash (Credits: Imago Images)
With Alisson completely ruled out, Giorgi Mamardashvili’s second appearance for Liverpool will come in the season’s most high profile fixture.
Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez have started all league games and will likely continue to do so. However the right-back position can turn into a guessing game. Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley and Dominik Szoboszlai have all starts, and any one of them may be in the starting XI.
Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah are automatic choices to begin the game. But its the other choices which are up in the air. Florian Wirtz’s form is a worry, while Alexis Mac Allister just scored during the international break.
Will Bradley be played at right back so that Szoboszlai can be deployed in the midfield? Or will Slot prefer the fully fit Isak over the Ekitike, despite the fact the Frenchman has had a good start to the season.
Ex-captains agree on prediction
Ex Manchester United captain Roy Keane is backing Liverpool to beat United 3-1, while Jamie Carragher feels it is going to be 2-1 in favour of the home team.
“I’m going to go 3-1 to Liverpool,” Keane said on The Overlap. Carragher who has worn the Red’s armband on a few occasions felt the margin is going to be a bit closer. While Arsenal legend Ian Wright backed Keane’s prediction, former England women’s international Jill Scott predicted an ’emphatic’ win for Liverpool.
A win for United will taken them within two points of Top 4, while the same for Pool will leave them a point behind Arsenal.
