We are on the cusp of yet another European night at Anfield. This one will be the biggest of the season thus far as the Reds host the first leg of their Quarterfinal clash with Italian foe Atalanta.
Some big names such as Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold may have a role to play in this one as they make their returns from long-term absences.
There should be a little bit of lineup rotation, but I do expect Jurgen Klopp to field a strong lineup to try and get a stranglehold on the tie right away. A couple of early goals for Liverpool could go a long way and might make the return leg in Italy a much smoother trip.
With that said, let's take a look how the Reds could lineup for this big clash.
Goalkeeper: Caoimhin Kelleher
Defenders: Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson
Midfielders: Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones
Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz
Probable Subs: Cody Gakpo, Harvey Elliott, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Joe Gomez
Following a pair of appearances off the bench, it is high-time that Curtis Jones is put back in the Starting XI. Szoboszlai is the best option to rest as he has been in patchy form lately and could use a reset for Sunday.
Konate being restored to the defense also makes sense as his physical gifts should be a good solution to the Atalanta counter-attack mentality.
With Atalanta playing with a three-man backline, this could mean a lot of space to operate for the likes of Salah and Diaz. Both could be in line for good productive days if they are locked in from the beginning.
Robertson has been in very good form in the last few matches and he will be challenged by the wingbacks for Atalanta trying to push up. His ability to turn defense into a counter for Liverpool could prove a useful tool for Klopp.
The same can be said for Bradley on the other side as he has not faced an opponent that plays the way Gian Piero Gasperini's men do.
It should be an entertaining affair as both sides thrive at creating scoring chances so I expect an end-to-end match.
Liverpool definitely has more firepower at their disposal but Atalanta have plenty of dangerous options. If Klopp runs out a Starting XI similar to the one above, Liverpool should still be considered strong favorites, especially playing at Anfield.