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Liverpool suffered another dismal low of an increasingly rollercoaster campaign with a tame Champions League exit at Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Karim Benzema scored the only goal in the second leg as the Reds slumped out 6-2 on aggregate, equalling their heaviest-ever such loss in European competition. Liverpool will now look to bounce back from successive reverses when they travel to champions Manchester City after the international break a fortnight on Saturday.
And here we look ahead to the changes Jurgen Klopp could make when his team are next in action.
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Alexander-Arnold debate
No doubt Klopp and his coaching staff will be keeping their fingers crossed for the safe return of their players from national team duty, such have been the never-ending run of injuries suffered by his squad this season.
But assuming everyone reports back fit, there is one clear head-scratcher for the Liverpool boss in defence.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has hit a patch of indifferent form and, due to a previous injury, was restricted to a brief cameo from the bench in the home Premier League win over City back in October. James Milner, who deputised that afternoon at right-back, is an alternative, as is fit-again Joe Gomez.
Joel Matip will be pressing for a centre-back starting role with Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk the preferred partnership of late. Nat Phillips wasn’t among the substitutes at Real Madrid, although Rhys Williams was involved.
Andy Robertson remains ahead of Kostas Tsimikas at left-back, while Alisson Becker highlighted his position as one of the best goalkeepers in the world with his display at the Bernabeu.
Midfield change
The news Stefan Bajcetic will miss the rest of the season means Liverpool will have to go back to their more experienced options in midfield.
At least Thiago Alcantara is expected to be available soon having missed the last eight games with a hip problem, while skipper Jordan Henderson – who missed out at the Bernabeu – is another likely to be fit.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain impressed in a brief stint although it would be a big ask for him to be thrown in against City having not started since mid-January, while Curtis Jones has barely featured of late, Naby Keita has fallen out of favour and Arthur Melo has only just returned from injury and is still to make his full Reds debut.
It would be a surprise if Liverpool repeated the 4-2-3-1 that was born of necessity at the Bernabeu, with Fabinho and Milner at the base. Harvey Elliott would provide younger legs in the engine room with Bajcetic out.
Diaz question
Luis Diaz should be back available having been absent since October with a knee issue, but it will most probably be bench duty at best with Liverpool unlikely to take any risks over his fitness.
Mohamed Salah remains first-choice on the right wing despite a couple of disappointing outings, but the other two forward berths are up for grabs.
Diogo Jota underwhelmed playing down the middle in midweek and could be replaced by Cody Gakpo, who started in the number 10 role, or Roberto Firmino, who came off the bench in the second half.
Darwin Nunez was a touch unfortunate to be substituted, and will compete with Jota for the left-wing role. Fabio Carvalho, given a rare outing from the bench in injury time at the Bernabeu, is another option.
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