Liverpool’s Carabao Cup third round date with West Ham is likely to see some major rotation to the Reds’ starting line-up.
In the six games so far this season, Arne Slot has made just seven changes to his team, with four of those coming last time out against Bournemouth.
While this lack of rotation has been good in establishing which members of the Liverpool squad Slot sees as being his go-to players, it has meant that others have been side-lined.
The one area of the pitch which has seen the least amount of change so far has been the Liverpool midfield.
Interestingly, Slot has picked the same three players to start every single one of his competitive fixtures in charge of the Reds.
But as the Liverpool head coach deals with a packed schedule, that is now going to change, starting with West Ham on Wednesday. For those who come in, a reaction is badly needed.
Curtis Jones badly in need of big performance
Liverpool’s midfield has been excellent so far this season. Despite worries that they might regret not going after a Martin Zubimendi alternative, the Reds have synced together beautifully.
Alexis Mac Allister has been everywhere, while Dominik Szoboszlai has been industrious and dangerous in the final third.
But without a doubt the standout has been Ryan Gravenberch. Gravenberch has stepped up impressively to become the missing piece of the midfield jigsaw for Liverpool.
Heading into the season, it had looked like a straight fight between the Dutchman and Curtis Jones to nail down the third spot in Slot’s midfield.
Half a dozen games in, and the answer as to who is winning that battle could hardly have been more emphatic.
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Starting the season with a niggling injury, Jones has been reduced to two substitute appearances amounting to 44 minutes.
The Liverpool academy graduate is set to get his chance on Wednesday as West Ham come to Anfield. It has been claimed ahead of time that Jones is set to start for Liverpool.
The 23-year-old bagged a brace last season as the Reds beat the Hammers 5-0 in the same competition. It was around the same time that Jurgen Klopp praised Jones for a ‘special’ performance against Newcastle.
If he can channel that form once again and put in a good display on Wednesday then he’ll be back in Slot’s thinking. Anything less, and he’ll surely be set for further bench duty in the weeks ahead.
Can Curtis Jones step up?
Few had expected Gravenberch to be quite so good this season. But the fact is that the 22-year-old has virtually made everyone forget all about Jones.
We wrote recently that Jones is getting further away from the starting XI with every passing Gravenberch performance and it has really felt that way.
Should the Scouser turn in an under-par display against the Hammers, that point will be hammered home and Gravenberch’s – or perhaps Szoboszlai’s – place will be under no threat at all.
But if Curtis can make himself the main man in a rotated side at Anfield, he will underline to Slot that he has real credentials to be in the starting XI.
There will be further chances for Jones this season, it will not solely rest on how he does on his first start of the season. But just how many more games he gets over the next weeks could be dependent on how he does against West Ham. A huge performance is needed and we think Curtis is about to step up.
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