Liverpool line-ups vs Tottenham as Alexis Mac Allister dropped and Rio Ngumoha decision made
Our writers have picked their starting XIs for Liverpool's Premier League clash at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon
Arne Slot will be hoping that Liverpool can put their recent results in the Premier League and Champions League behind them when they face Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday.
The Reds currently sit outside the Champions League qualification places but they have the perfect opportunity to move level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea and up the pressure on fourth-placed Aston Villa and third-placed Manchester United, who face each other at Old Trafford earlier in the afternoon.
Injury-hit Tottenham are in crisis, having lost their last six matches in all competitions and having not won in the Premier League since December 28.
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page
So what team does Liverpool head coach Slot pick against Igor Tudor's struggling team? Our writers have their say...
Paul Gorst
Let's start with the now age-old debate at right-back, shall we? Jeremie Frimpong is vying for a recall and Joe Gomez will be looking to keep his place after a rare start on Tuesday night in Istanbul.
Since Liverpool will likely see more of the ball on Sunday, Frimpong's electric pace might be needed to help break down this Spurs side, which we can now refer to, without irony, as 'relegation-threatened'. Yikes.
Milos Kerkez keeps his place and if Alisson Becker is fit to play, he starts over Giorgi Mamardashvili, even though the Georgia international did little wrong against Galatasaray on Tuesday night.
In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister drops out and Curtis Jones comes in. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch also complete the midfield, meaning Florian Wirtz once more starts on the left of the attack. Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha can wait in reserve, as tempted as I was to start the teenage winger.
Mohamed Salah is stationed on the right side and Hugo Ekitike leads the line.
Liverpool must take full advantage of this game against a Tottenham side currently at its lowest ebb.
My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz.
Ian Doyle
Liverpool made hard work of seeing off a nine-man Tottenham Hotspur with a two-goal start before Christmas, so anybody expecting a 5-0 home win has probably not watched any football in the last nine months.
This is going to be an absolute slog of a game despite Tottenham seemingly having to play their third string on Sunday. What, then, is Reds boss Arne Slot to do?
Slap bang in the middle of the two Champions League legs against Galatasaray, there are going to be changes.
Not in goal, though. That should remain Giorgi Mamardashvili who did pretty well in Istanbul, so there's no need to rush back Alisson Becker. However, Joe Gomez can move to centre-back alongside skipper Virgil van Dijk, Jeremie Frimpong is the right-back and Andy Robertson left-back.
In midfield, Curtis Jones can join Ryan Gravenberch at the base with Florian Wirtz switched to the number 10 role.
That means Dominik Szoboszlai can go on the right of the attack with teenager Rio Ngumoha making his first Premier League start on the left and Cody Gakpo moved up front. A lot of players can therefore be fresh for Wednesday.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Gakpo.
Richard Garnett
Arne Slot appeared to pick a risk-averse line-up in Istanbul against Galatasaray, although you would never have guessed that given how they played on the night. There is less need to approach the match against Spurs like this, however, so I'm expecting a more positive approach on paper.
I fear that Alisson Becker may miss out on this match, and if he does, Giorgi Mamardashvili will retain his place. Joe Gomez has a lovely long throw, it turns out, but Jeremie Frimpong is about five times faster and more exciting, so he returns to provide some much-needed width at right-back.
The Dutchman can play alongside Ibrahima Konate (who can never be dropped due to a lack of viable options), Virgil van Dijk and the returning Milos Kerkez.
Recently, Liverpool's midfield has looked like it couldn't fight its way out of a wet paper bag, so I am unconvincingly making a tweak. Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai can protect the back four, with Florian Wirtz pulling the strings in front of them.
Mohamed Salah continues to retain his place thanks to little pressure to dislodge him, but fortune favours the brave and now is the time to hand Rio Ngumoha his Premier League debut, with Hugo Ekitike leading the line.