Curtis Jones decision made as £60m star drops out: Liverpool predicted starting XI v Real Madrid
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Liverpool are flying high under Arne Slot this season, topping the Premier League table and sitting near the top of the Champions League standings.
On Wednesday, the Reds will be given arguably their hardest test to date under Slot as they host the mighty Real Madrid at Anfield.
Liverpool boast a perfect record in the Champions League and will be eager to send out a statement of intent against the reigning champions of Europe.
TBR Football looks at who Slot could name in his starting XI for the game against Real Madrid.
Liverpool v Real Madrid team news
Liverpool are without several players for the game against the 15-time European champions.
Slot confirmed at Tuesday’s pre-match presser that Kostas Tsimikas has joined Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott are in the squad but won’t be in line to start the game as they’re not fully match-fit just yet.
As for Real Madrid, they’ll be without top scorer Vinicius Jr due to injury.
Several other players, including Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Aurelien Tchouameni and Rodrygo, were also not part of Los Blancos’ 19-man travelling squad.
Liverpool predicted XI v Real Madrid
Caoimhin Kelleher is set to continue in goal, while Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk are likely to be in front of him at centre-back.
Van Dijk, who Martin Odegaard deemed the toughest defender he’s played against, and Konate will want to make amends for their shaky displays against Southampton.
With Alexander-Arnold set to be on the bench from the start, Conor Bradley is set to start again at right-back.
And as Tsimikas is out, Andrew Robertson is likely to be at left-back, though Slot could also opt to give Joe Gomez a start so as to rest the Scotland star.
Further up the pitch, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz could come back into the starting XI after coming off the bench against the Saints.
Slot then has a choice to make between Curtis Jones and Dominic Szoboszlai.
The Liverpool academy graduate could potentially get the nod ahead of the £60million man thanks to his pressing and recent form.
Cody Gakpo could also make way, with Diaz taking his place, and Ryan Gravenberch, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez could retain their places.
Liverpool predicted XI v Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez
