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The international break concludes in dramatic fashion as Liverpool head to rivals Manchester City for the weekend's opening FA Cup quarterfinal clash.
Liverpool entered the international window following their 10th Premier League loss of the campaign, and the FA Cup represents one of the few remaining opportunities for Arne Slot's side to salvage something from the season. Nevertheless, getting a result at City's ground will be an enormous task.
The Champions League offers another potential path to glory, with Liverpool facing Paris Saint-Germain in their quarterfinal first leg during the week, and Slot may have one eye on that daunting away fixture when naming his starting eleven.
Mohamed Salah Back in Contention
Slot has confirmed that Mohamed Salah is "very close" to making his return from injury. The Egyptian, who has announced his departure from Liverpool at the end of the season since last featuring for the club, sat out the Brighton & Hove Albion defeat and the subsequent international break with Egypt.
Federico Chiesa is another player who could feature on Saturday despite missing the international fixtures, and the same may even apply to long-term injury absentee Alexander Isak following his return to training on Thursday. The Swede has been sidelined since just before Christmas with a broken leg, and one report has indicated he could play a role at the Etihad despite such an extended absence.
Alisson will not be making his return from injury, however, keeping Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endō and Conor Bradley company in the treatment room. They have been joined by Jeremie Frimpong after he picked up a knock during the international break—leaving the right back as a significant doubt for the weekend.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Man City
GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili—Mamardashvili conceded and saved a penalty during the 3–0 loss at Man City back in November. The Georgian will be hoping for a quieter afternoon in this weekend's FA Cup encounter.
RB: Joe Gomez—With Frimpong doubtful and Bradley unavailable, Gomez could be handed a start at right back. The 28-year-old should be well-rested after benefiting from some valuable downtime over the past two weeks.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté—Konaté's displays have been worryingly inconsistent this season, as his recent performances for the Reds have shown. The Frenchman faces a tough battle against Erling Haaland.
CB: Virgil van Dijk—Liverpool's captain netted his 12th international goal during the break, scoring against Haaland's Norway—though the towering striker was not in the squad. He will look to pose an attacking threat once more, having had a goal controversially disallowed at the Etihad in November.
LB: Milos Kerkez—Kerkez's composed finish was the sole bright spot in Liverpool's poor defeat to Brighton last time out, but the Hungarian will be more focused on his defensive duties when facing former Bournemouth teammate Antoine Semenyo.
DM: Ryan Gravenberch—The midfield contest will be pivotal on Saturday, and Gravenberch must perform at his best to come out on top against the likes of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.
DM: Alexis Mac Allister—Mac Allister played in both of Argentina's friendlies, which was the last thing Slot needed given how fatigued the midfielder has appeared throughout the season.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai—Another standout display is needed from Liverpool's player of the season if the Reds are to advance to the semifinals. The side simply cannot function without Szoboszlai this term.
AM: Florian Wirtz—Liverpool are eager to see a similarly impactful showing from Wirtz as the one he produced for Germany in their 4–3 victory over Switzerland, in which he contributed to all four of his team's goals.
ST: Mohamed Salah—Salah's farewell tour kicks off here. There will be plenty of emotion when the Egyptian leaves this summer, but the focus must be on ending the campaign strongly—perhaps with an FA Cup winners' medal to show for it.
ST: Hugo Ekitiké—Ekitiké got on the scoresheet for a star-studded France attack, a welcome boost as he searches for his first goal against City. Isak's imminent return should provide him with more rest opportunities in the weeks ahead.