Arne Slot will take a late decision on Federico Chiesa’s involvement in the game between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Liverpool will look to continue the unbeaten run when they lock horns with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon. And Arne Slot has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Harvey Elliott remains on the sidelines due to his foot injury and will not return before next month. Meanwhile, Slot continues to sweat over Federico Chiesa’s fitness, and the manager will take a late call on his involvement this weekend.
Slot discussed Chiesa’s fitness situation during his pre-match press conference, saying, “[It’s] wait and see. He didn’t train for the last two days. He came in today to see if he could train and if he can I still have a decision to make because we can only select 20 [players] and he hasn’t trained for a few days. But first of all, we have to wait and see if he can even train – and if he can then it’s our decision if we bring him to the game or not.”
The Liverpool manager also discussed the effect of playing on Wednesday night in the UEFA Champions League and then getting the early kick-off on Saturday. He said, “A difficult one for us: 12.30 kick-off after playing on Wednesday evening late in the Champions League, facing again a team that has a whole week to prepare. But that is part of working at a top club, that we face those teams and we have to be ready for those teams. And that’s what we are tomorrow.”
Chiesa will not start even if he is fit and available, with Mohamed Salah an automatic pick on the right flank. Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota will complete the numbers in the final third, with the latter making his 100th start for the Merseyside club this weekend.
As for the midfield unit, Dominik Szoboszlai will reprise the no. 10 role, with Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch pairing up in the double pivot. The backline should remain unchanged, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Andrew Robertson retaining their places. Finally, there is no looking past Alisson Becker between the sticks.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota
