The games keep coming thick and fast for Liverpool. Less than 48 hours after defeat against Arsenal, Andoni Iraola and his squad will boarding the four hour flight to İstanbul to take on Fenerbahçe in the Champions League.
Having so far enjoyed wins over Atlético Madrid, LASK and Villarreal, scoring 12 goals, the Reds are seeking to maintain their perfect start to the league phase. So, ahead of the tough test that awaits at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, here is the lineup were forecasting Iraola will select.
GK: Alisson
As always, Alisson will be in goal, making his 62nd Champions League appearance for the club, seeking to add to his 26 clean sheets.
RB: Ronald Araújo
In the continued absence of Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, Iraola has little choice but to start the ultra-impressive Ronald Araújo once again, tasked with keeping Kerem Aktürkoğlu quiet.
CB: Jérémy Jacquet
Similarly, Jérémy Jacquet has instantaneously established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.
CB: Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk has played every minute of 34 of the last 36 Champions League matches, sitting out a dead-rubber in Eindhoven, as well as coming off the bench in Linz last month.
LB: Kostas Tsimikas
Left-back is a rare position where Iraola is able to rotate; Miloš Kerkez is starting weekend matches right now, while Kostas Tsimikas gets the nod in cup competitions.
CDM: Trey Nyoni
As was confirmed on Tuesday morning, Ryan Gravenberch has not travelled to Türkiye due to a heel injury. This is partially why the Dutchman did not feature at the weekend. As a result, after impressing in the EFL Cup, it was teenager Trey Nyoni who started a Premier League match for the first time, set to keep his place on the banks of the Bosphorus.
CM: Alexis Mac Allister
In something of a surprise, Dominik Szoboszlai came off the bench against Arsenal, just a fortnight after exacerbating a hamstring injury against Brentford. However, the Hungarian clearly is not at 100%, so starting him at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium would be a risk. Thus, having scored three Champions League goals already this season, Alexis Mac Allister will keep his place.
CAM: Florian Wirtz
Completing the midfield trio, most of Florian Wirtz's best performances have come in the Champions League this season, so will the German star in İstanbul?
RW: Bradley Barcola
The front three is where Iraola does have options. Similarly to Szoboszlai, Víctor Muñoz had sat out the previous three matches, the Spaniard dealing with a knee injury, before coming on for the final ten minutes against Arsenal. However, he is equally not expected to be fit enough to start just yet.
Meantime, following an ineffective performance on Sunday, we're forecasting that Cody Gakpo will drop to the bench. Thus, having scored a hat-trick during the last Champions League away game at Oberösterreich Arena, Bradley Barcola could switch to the right to accommodate a team mate.
LW: Rio Ngumoha
Rio Ngumoha is perhaps unfortunate not to be in Liverpool's first-choice XI right now, although that could soon change. The teenager was man of the match against Villarreal, registering two assists, although he has not started in the Premier League since the opening day. However, after impressing in other competitions, the teenager deserves his chance.
ST: Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak has six Premier League goals to his name this season, but is yet to get off the mark in the Champions League, so can the Swede change that here?
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