Liverpool has an almost clean bill of health for its game against Chelsea. Even so, Arne Slot has hinted at rotation and could face a Mohamed Salah dilemma.
Having confirmed the Premier League title last weekend, Slot has admitted that he intends to give some opportunities to a few of the players who have been on the fringes. He has tended to prefer a small core group for much of the season, which has left the likes of Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa out in the cold.
The coach hopes to somewhat rectify that over the next four games, although he has pledged not to make the kind of wholesale changes that saw Liverpool lose 1-0 to Plymouth in the FA Cup. All in all, the Chelsea clash is one of the hardest of the season to predict.
That’s all the more true given that Liverpool is barely contending with any injuries. The only player definitively ruled out is Joe Gomez.
Even on that front, Slot had some good news to share. He told the press that Gomez could return for the last one or two games of the campaign, having been out since the end of December (barring an aborted 11-minute return against none other than Plymouth, funnily enough).
Other than that, Conor Bradley is the only doubt for the match against Chelsea. He has returned to training today and faces a late test regarding his level of involvement.
Prior to the game against Spurs, Slot had talked up the importance of Bradley getting regular minutes. But he was then absent from the squad altogether, having picked up a knock in training.
Fans will be eager to see Bradley get a run of games in what remains of the season. He is, after all, effectively auditioning for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s spot, with the latter still expected to move to Real Madrid.
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
But if that’s an easy rotation call for Slot to make once he gets Bradley back fit, the other decisions are more difficult. Take Chiesa, for instance: he clearly deserves more minutes, but will the coach really give them to him at the expense of Salah on the right wing?
Salah wouldn’t be thrilled to be benched in any circumstances, even with the league wrapped up. But with so many personal records up for grabs this season, rotation would go down like a lead balloon with the Egyptian.
The single-season assist record is becoming gradually more challenging, but Salah will still back himself to get the required three in his last four games. Meanwhile, it would only take two goals or assists to become the outright leader for goal involvements in a campaign, overtaking the totals Andy Cole and Alan Shearer achieved in 44-game seasons.
If there are to be minutes for Chiesa, perhaps he will have to settle for them through the middle, or even in the advanced midfield role where Dominik Szoboszlai usually plays. Having said that, Elliott will be eyeing up that position too.
These are not bad problems for Slot to have. But they are telling, especially as Liverpool approaches the transfer window — activity is rightly expected, but there are already too many excellent players to get them all on the pitch.
Chelsea has spent heavily on constructing a massive squad over the past few seasons, and it will be the side giving the guard of honor at the weekend, not receiving it. Liverpool needs to strengthen from a position of strength when the transfer window opens, but Slot’s selection dilemma at the weekend highlights the options already at his disposal.
