Liverpool have the chance to make it four wins from four in the Champions League as they take on Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.
The Reds have beaten AC Milan, Bologna and RB Leipzig so far and another win would put them top of the 36-team table.
Leverkusen have seven points out of nine meanwhile, and will be a tough proposition under former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.
On home turf at Anfield, though, the Reds should be favourites to collect the points.
For Arne Slot, there are some decisions to make over who to name in his starting line-up. Liverpool have another crucial Premier League match to prepare for on Saturday as they face Aston Villa.
And according to former Reds full-back Steve Nicol, the Liverpool head coach is about to put his faith in a ‘struggling’ player against the German champions.
Steve Nicol predicts Jarell Quansah start
It had looked as though Slot was going to be forced into reshuffling his centre-back options after Saturday’s win over Brighton.
Ibrahima Konate came off at half-time during that game and it had initially looked as though the Frenchman could be facing a spell on the side-lines.
However, Konate was involved in Liverpool training on Monday. The 25-year-old is absolutely fine and ready to go against Leverkusen.
Despite that, Joe Gomez came in and played superbly against Brighton and there would be logic to Slot resting Konate and bringing Gomez in from the start on Tuesday.
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Speaking to ESPN FC, though, Liverpool legend Nicol believes that Jarell Quansah will actually get the nod ahead of both Gomez and Konate.
“Liverpool have been giving chances away at home in particular,” said Nicol, while predicting a 2-2 draw. “I think of Boniface and Wirtz and Frimpong, and I think are they going to pass up the chances that other sides haven’t taken at Anfield recently?
“I think Liverpool will score a couple of goals and I don’t think Konate will play either, it’s probably going to be Quansah who, to be quite honest, has been struggling recently. That’s why I’ve gone for 2-2.”
Who will start for Liverpool?
Although Konate is fine, his problem on Saturday was a reminder to Slot that his fitness has been incredibly fragile over the years.
Having started nine of Liverpool’s ten Premier League games this season and each of their three Champions League fixtures, Ibou is in line for a rest.
The Reds have put themselves in a good position in Europe and while they’ll want to keep that going, they can perhaps afford a little rotation now.
However, if Konate does not play next to Virgil van Dijk, then surely Gomez should be the man to come in.
Like Quansah, the 27-year-old has had little meaningful game time this term but his display against Brighton showed that he is more than ready to step in when needed. Gomez would be our choice, and we think that’s what Slot will do, too.
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