'Want to see': John Aldridge urges Arne Slot to give one player his first ever CL start for Liverpool tomorrow
01/28/2025 10:00 AM
Liverpool face PSV Eindhoven tomorrow night in their final UEFA Champions League league phase game, with the Reds already through to the last-16.
The Anfield side remain the only team with a 100% record in this season’s revamped Champions League format, with Liverpool needing just one point away in the Netherlands to confirm top spot over FC Barcelona.
With Mohamed Salah hitting 50 European goals for Liverpool last week against LOSC Lille, there is an air of expectation that the Egyptian international could start again for Arne Slot’s side heading into tomorrow’s tie against PSV.
However, with AFC Bournemouth coming up next for Liverpool, resting the likes of Salah will be paramount for the Reds in their bid to keep their top spot in the Premier League as comfortably as possible, and John Aldridge has now shared who he he wants to see start in Eindhoven.
Federico Chiesa backed for first Champions League start at Liverpool
Writing for the Liverpool Echo, the pundit noted how Federico Chiesa should make his first Champions League start for the Reds, with Aldridge also saying Harvey Elliott, Darwin Nunez and Kostas Tsimikas should also be named in the XI, alongside Jarrel Quansah and Conor Bradley.
With Liverpool through to the last-16 and top spot in the Champions League giving the Anfield side no real advantage, rotating the entire starting XI could be a wise decision from Slot heading into tomorrow’s game, where the fringe players will want a chance to impress in Europe.
Aldridge wrote: “I want to see Chiesa and Elliott start against PSV. It's a great opportunity for them. I want to see Nunez, Quansah, Conor Bradley and Tsimikas too. There is plenty of scope to rotate. Gakpo and Diaz can have a half each, but I'd leave Salah at home, personally.
“I'd give Van Dijk a day off too. We can still try and go for the win, the squad is still strong enough. But if we don't win, it doesn't matter. As long as we go to Bournemouth and get three points, that's all that matters.”
READ MORE: Everything to know on Liverpool's Federico Chiesa from net worth to stats
Chiesa start vs PSV would all-but end January transfer rumours
Chiesa has had a hard time at Liverpool since joining last summer, with the Italian international struggling for fitness having missed all of pre-season with Juventus before joining the Reds shortly before the start of the Premier League season.
As a result, Chiesa has been rumoured with a move back to Italy, a transfer that could well happen with just under a week of the January transfer window left to go, even with the winger keen to remain at Liverpool.
Yet should Chiesa start against PSV, the move from Slot will all-but end any speculation on the Italian international leaving Liverpool this January, with the forward starting to find his feet again after a slow start to the season.
