
Liverpool's Cody Gakpo problem could take Arne Slot's only dilemma away vs PSG
- highbury93 2025/03/05 06:39
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There are not many spots in the Liverpool team that are up for grabs when everybody is fit: Alisson is the Reds' clear No.1 goalkeeper, while the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah are also among the players that know they will start if they are available.
Earlier in the season, it seemed as though Arne Slot was yet to make his mind up over whether Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas would be his first-choice left-back, while Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai were both similarly vying for the third midfield spot alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister.
Robertson and Szoboszlai appear to be in top in their respective battles for now, and all being well, should take their places in the team for Wednesday's game at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain.
Alisson will be in goal, while Robertson should be joined in defense by Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Alexander-Arnold; it has long since been established that those five players make up Slot's preferred back line.
A midfield triumvirate of Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai is also a fairly safe bet, while Salah is the current best player in the world and thus is the first name on the teamsheet.
That leaves two spaces in the team, both in the forward line, where there might be decisions to be made. Federico Chiesa is not in the equation, and one would suspect Darwin Nunez is unlikely to start, but Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota will all have desires on lining up in the French capital.
Three doesn't go into two, but Slot's call in attack could be made easier by the possible absence of Gakpo, who has travelled to Paris but did not train on the eve of the clash.
"He was close to being ready to play again but yesterday he had to block a shot, and felt a bit of pain again," Slot said of the physical state of Gakpo, who recently missed two games through injury. "We took him with us to judge him tomorrow to see if he can be part of the squad or not. It will be a close call."
Gakpo has not started for Liverpool since the Merseyside derby on February 12, and even if he were to be deemed fit to figure against PSG, it might be wise to name him among the substitutes.
That would make Slot's decision easy in terms of completing his starting line-up, with Diaz getting the nod on the left wing and Jota lining up through the middle.
Predicted Liverpool XI vs PSG: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Diaz, Jota
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