Mohamed Salah is expected to reclaim his place in Liverpool’s starting line-up when Sunderland visit Anfield on Wednesday.
The Egyptian - due to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations on December 15 - was left on the bench as the Premier League champions arrested their dismal run of form with a win over West Ham on Saturday, with Cody Gakpo preferred on the right flank.
But as Arne Slot continues to manage Florian Wirtz’s minutes, a front-line shuffle is expected as the Reds return to action.
Speaking pre-match, Slot said Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Joe Gomez would not be able to play three full matches in the space of a week. After the trio all started at the London Stadium, they could be rotated for Wednesday.
Should Wirtz drop out of the XI, Gakpo would return to his preferred spot on the left flank, opening the door for Salah to take up his place on the right. If Isak follows Wirtz in returning to the bench, Hugo Ekitike will lead the line.
Gomez will be unlikely to start after completing the full 90 minutes at West Ham, and so may be dropped for Dominik Szoboszlai, who has proved a reliable makeshift at right-back this season.
Elsewhere, the line-up rather picks itself. The go-to midfield pairing of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch will be supported by Curtis Jones, while the rest of the backline should remain unchanged.
Conor Bradley has returned to training for the first time since suffering a muscle injury on international duty in November, but is not expected to be fit before Liverpool visit Leeds at the weekend.
Jeremie Frimpong is yet to return to the first-team fold as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury, and Giovanni Leoni remains in recovery after undergoing surgery on a torn ACL.
Predicted Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Kerkez, Van Dijk, Konate, Szoboszlai; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Gakpo, Ekitike, Salah
Injured: Bradley, Frimpong, Leoni
Time and date: 8.15pm GMT on Wednesday December 3, 2025
Venue: Anfield
How to watch: Sky Sports
