Liverpool maintained their strong start to the season with a hard-earned League Cup victory at Bournemouth on Wednesday evening.
Cody Gakpo and substitute Darwin Nunez were on target as the Reds secured a 2-1 triumph to set up a quarter-final tie at home to West Ham United next month.
Liverpool will now resume their Premier League challenge when they travel to Luton Town on Sunday afternoon.
And here we look ahead to the changes Jurgen Klopp could make when his team are next in action.
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Defensive overhaul
That there are more than three days between the trip to Bournemouth and the game at Luton prompted Klopp to go perhaps stronger at the Vitality Stadium than may have been anticipated.
But there are still likely to be wholesale changes for the starting line-up at Kenilworth Road, particularly in defence. Alisson Becker will replace Caoimhin Kelleher in goal, while Trent Alexander-Arnold should return at right-back in place of Joe Gomez with Conor Bradley still sidelined.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were rested in midweek and are expected to step back in, although Joel Matip and Jarell Quansah did well at centre-back at Bournemouth with Gomez another option. Kostas Tsimikas is favourite to continue at left-back, with Andy Robertson injured and youngster Luke Chambers not involved on Wednesday.
Midfield returns
Klopp experimented with his midfield options throughout the Bournemouth game, but he will be expected to revert to a more recognised starting engine room at the weekend.
The major decision is whether to recall Curtis Jones on the left of the midfield three with the 22-year-old having now served a three-match domestic suspension, given the form of Ryan Gravenberch in the position in his absence. Jones, though, was impressive on Wednesday.
Alexis Mac Allister would therefore return at number six in place of Wataru Endo, with Dominik Szoboszlai reverting to the right of the triumvirate having started on the wing in midweek.
Harvey Elliott is another option, although Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Bobby Clark are all not yet ready for first-team consideration.
Klopp has decision left
While Mohamed Salah started only his fourth League Cup tie for Liverpool on Wednesday, it would be a surprise if the Egyptian doesn’t again line up at the weekend.
And if Nunez’s winner from the bench underlined why he’s now become first choice as the central striker, not so clear cut is who begins on the left with Luis Diaz understandably expected to remain out.
Gakpo scored the opener at Bournemouth but Jota did likewise against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League last weekend. Ben Doak, meanwhile, returned to training this week after an injury absence.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
