Liverpool boss Arne Slot has named his starting XI to take on Chelsea, with the Premier League champion making relatively wholesale changes in the first of four games that are relatively meaningless in terms of the results.
Having wrapped up the league title against Spurs, the Dutchman has left the likes of Ryan Gravenberch out of the team, with Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott among those getting a chance. Alisson Becker is in goal, as usual, but then the swaps begin.
In his defense, Slot has gone with Kostas Tsimikas and Jarell Quansah also gets a chance to impress. Trent Alexander-Arnold also starts, alongside Virgil van Dijk.
In midfield, Liverpool has gone with Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones. Ryan Gravenberch isn’t in the squad but Alexis Mac Allister is among the substitutes.
In attack, Mohamed Salah is chasing more records. He has 46 goal involvements in the top flight so far this season — the record stands at 47 — and is joined up front by Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota. Federico Chiesa could be introduced from the sidelines.
“It’s nice that we play some very strong teams with Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and [Crystal] Palace, so that gives immediately the challenge to those games,” Slot said during his pre-match press conference.
(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“It’s the end of the season but we also have to look at this as the start of next season already. It’s Chelsea away first.
“We played them earlier on in the season and I’m completely surprised, not shocked but surprised, if I look at the gap we have with them at the moment, because at that moment in time they were the better team on the pitch.
“But we found a way to win. That is a quality that we didn’t need a lot because mostly we were the better team on the pitch.
“But in the game we had to suffer more than any other game maybe. So to be so many points ahead of them is a big compliment for everyone here at this club.”
Learn more
On Elliott, he added: “I think first of all, it’s very important that players who are here with us like to stay. That’s a big compliment to everyone working here.
“Harvey is one of the players that hasn’t had as much playing time as he maybe deserves. But like some others, he is in competition with so many good players that I have mainly chosen other players. Also, partly because he was injured for a long time, and I’ve been honest with him.”
Liverpool starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Elliott, Endo, Jones; Salah, Jota, Gakpo. Subs: Kelleher, Bradley, Konate, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Diaz, Nunez.
