Liverpool team vs West Ham predicted as Federico Chiesa starts amid Trey Nyoni decision

Today could be the day we see Arne Slot truly utilize his squad, with the Liverpool boss surely set to ring the changes against West Ham.

The Reds begin their defense of the Carabao Cup at Anfield later this evening, seven months to the day since Jurgen Klopp claimed his final piece of silverware as Liverpool manager. The competition provides Slot with his first opportunity to add to the club’s trophy cabinet as his side enters at the third round stage.

Despite resisting the urge to make a raft of changes so far this season, we can expect to see plenty of them tonight against the Hammers. The only question really is how many Slot makes.

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He has already dropped some hints as to his starting XI. Caoimhin Kelleher is assured of a spot, while Federico Chiesa looks as though he will make his first start for the club, having come off the bench against AC Milan and Bournemouth last week.

We might well see a completely changed back four from that 3-0 Premier League win at the weekend. Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas haven’t been short of chances anyway so far, but they should get the opportunity to start this evening, while Jarell Quansah will make his first start since being ruthlessly substituted in the opening game against Ipswich.

The only remaining question in defense is whether Slot retains one of Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate for some consistency, or if he gives Joe Gomez a chance. Giving Konate too many minutes is always a risk with his injury record, and there won’t be too many opportunities to rest Van Dijk, so Gomez gets the nod for us.

Midfield is perhaps where the biggest question marks lie. You’d imagine Curtis Jones is a dead cert to start, but who will be alongside him?

Wataru Endo’s omission from the squad on Saturday doesn’t look too promising for his future, but he could return tonight, if nothing else just to give the impressive Ryan Gravenberch a well-earned rest.

Trey Nyoni and Tyler Morton look set to play some part in tonight’s squad after being left out of the U21s side on Tuesday, but will either of them start? Slot might not want to put too much pressure on them, especially Nyoni, so we predict that Dominik Szoboszlai will retain his place in the side – the Hungarian perhaps a little more to prove than Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister so far this season.

In attack, Slot has the luxury of six top-class options to choose from, so even without his usual front three, the Reds can boast a front line most other sides would love to have. Chiesa looks likely to make his first start, and Slot seemed to indicate Darwin Nunez would be involved tonight, so he keeps his spot from the weekend.

Cody Gakpo can consider himself very unlucky not to have held onto his place at the weekend following an impressive display in Milan. He’ll get another chance here in a competition that has served him well, although he’ll have to go some way to displace Luis Diaz in the Premier League side at the moment.

Liverpool predicted team vs West Ham: Kelleher; Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Tsimikas; Endo, Jones; Chiesa, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Nunez.