Liverpool's early predicted XI in the Carabao Cup against West Ham as Arne Slot makes nine changes

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Liverpool banished the ghost of last weekend’s dismal defeat against Nottingham Forest with a win over Bournemouth on Saturday.

The Reds had been under pressure to put things right at Anfield following a disappointing loss last weekend.

And having already bounced back with a win against AC Milan in the Champions league on Tuesday, Liverpool collected three Premier League points by winning 3-0 at Anfield.

It was a richly deserved victory for Arne Slot and his team, with two Luis Diaz goals and a Darwin Nunez stunner sending them to the top of the league table.

But there’s no let up for the Reds, as the games continue to arrive. Next up, Liverpool face West Ham United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

With another Premier League game coming away to Wolves the following Sunday, we take an early look at who could be in Liverpool’s XI for Slot’s first game under the Anfield lights.

Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images

Defence

Liverpool were rocked in the lead-up to Saturday’s game by the news that Alisson Becker has picked up an injury. However, Caoimhin Kelleher was brilliant against Bournemouth and will go again whether Alisson is fit or not.

In-front of Kelleher, we’d expect that Slot will make wholesale changes. Conor Bradley did not come on for his usual substitute appearance on Saturday and appears likely to start against West Ham.

Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk have started each of Liverpool’s past five games, with Van Dijk playing 90 minutes in all six so far.

Consequently, there also seems to be a good chance that Slot changes both of his centre-halves, and that would mean Jarell Quansah forming a new-look partnership with Joe Gomez.

READ MORE: ‘Outstanding’ Liverpool player is getting further and further away from Arne Slot’s best XI

At left-back, Kostas Tsimikas has played a little more than some of the others in this potential line up with and will probably come back in for Andy Robertson.

Midfield

Liverpool’s midfield has been highly praised so far this season and rightly so. The Reds’ trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai put in another great display against the Cherries.

But all three players have began each and every game so far this campaign. That should change against West Ham.

With Harvey Elliott out injured, Slot’s options are a little thin on the ground here.

However, we’d still expect to see Wataru Endo restored after missing out on the matchday squad on Saturday, with young Tyler Morton brought in for a rare chance in the starting XI.

In Elliott’s absence Curtis Jones is best placed to be the man to deputise for Szoboszlai in the more attacking midfield role.

Attack

While defence and midfield look a whole lot weaker with all the changes made, Liverpool’s attack can bear changes in each position without losing too much quality.

Federico Chiesa looked a little rusty on his Premier League debut on Saturday but is the only somewhat natural replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo is almost certain to start and will hope to put in another display such as the one he put in at San Siro last week.

Finally, we think Darwin Nunez will be the sole outfield player to keep his place from the win over Bournemouth. Nunez is in need of game time and should go again with the Hammers in town.

Liverpool’s early predicted XI vs West Ham: Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Gomez, Tsimikas; Endo, Morton, Jones; Chiesa, Nunez, Gakpo

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