Liverpool team vs Real Madrid : 4-3-3 as Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez decisions made…

Liverpool’s projected lineup against Real Madrid reflects the decisions made about Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.

Liverpool prepares for a significant week as they face Real Madrid in the Champions League.

The Reds aim to secure their fifth consecutive victory in Europe, taking a crucial step towards the knockout stages.

To achieve this, Liverpool must overcome a formidable challenge against the reigning champions, Real Madrid, at Anfield.

This match marks the beginning of a pivotal period in their season, with a Premier League clash against Manchester City looming on the horizon.

Manager Arne Slot hopes for a strong performance to set the tone for the upcoming days.

However, Liverpool will need to break a disappointing trend, having not triumphed in their last eight encounters with the Spanish side, which includes losses in the finals of 2018 and 2022.

Despite the absence of some key players for Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti still has access to stars like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, presenting another significant challenge for Liverpool.

The Reds are also grappling with their own injury issues, with four players sidelined for this match.

Alisson Becker, Kostas Tsimikas, Diogo Jota, and Federico Chiesa will not participate, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to start on the bench after recently returning to training.

This situation simplifies some of Slot’s selection decisions for the evening. His defensive lineup is largely predetermined, with Caoimhin Kelleher remaining in goal and Conor Bradley filling in for Alexander-Arnold at right-back.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate will maintain their positions in central defense, while Andy Robertson has the opportunity to reaffirm his status as the first-choice left-back in Tsimikas’ absence.

There is a decision to be made in midfield for the team. Alexis Mac Allister is eager to reclaim his spot in the starting eleven after being benched during the match against Southampton.

It is anticipated that either Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai will be the one to step aside for the Argentine.

Szoboszlai appeared to be fatigued towards the conclusion of the victory at St Mary’s, while Jones should be relatively fresh after being substituted earlier in the match.

As a result, it is likely that Szoboszlai will be the one to make way, allowing Mac Allister to partner with Ryan Gravenberch, while Jones takes on a more offensive role.

Another significant decision lies in the attack, as Luis Diaz aims to make his comeback. The key question is how the Colombian will reintegrate into the lineup.

It is clear that he will not replace Mohamed Salah, despite the recent attention surrounding the Egyptian’s comments about his contract situation.

Consequently, either Cody Gakpo or Darwin Nunez will need to be sidelined.

Slot’s strategy of utilizing Diaz as a striker proved effective against Bayer Leverkusen, and given that Nunez played the full 90 minutes against Southampton, it seems prudent to give the Uruguayan a break.

Liverpool’s predicted lineup against Real Madrid is: Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Gakpo; Diaz.