Arne Slot has plenty to think about as he announces his starting line-up against Real Madrid, with injuries to consider and the looming Premier League match next weekend.

It’s a huge week for Liverpool as they host both Real Madrid and Manchester City in five days. Team selection will be crucial to bring home three points on both occasions.

Mohamed Salah’s contract comments have overshadowed the task facing Slot’s side, but the Reds boss will remain firmly focused on what lies ahead.

With injuries to consider and Trent Alexander-Arnold unfit to start, this is how Liverpool could line up at Anfield on Wednesday.

Team news

A 26-man squad trained at the AXA Training Center on the eve of the match, and Slot later provided an update on who he can call on:

• Alexander-Arnold back in training but will not start
• Chiesa has participated in a number of training sessions and is not eligible
• Alisson and Diogo Jota are not involved but remain sidelined
• Kostas Tsimikas suffered an ankle injury and adds his name to the injury list

The Liverpool selection trains on Tuesday

Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies, Ojrzynski

Defenders: Van Dijk, Konate, Quansah, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Bradley, Mabaya

Midfielders: Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones, Elliott, Endo, Morton, McConnell

Forward: Salah, Nunez, Gakpo, Diaz, Chiesa, Danns

Liverpool’s XI vs Real Madrid

Alexander-Arnold has been sidelined for the past two and a half weeks since picking up his injury against Aston Villa, but he was back among his teammates on Tuesday.

Slot quickly ruled him out of starting against Real Madrid, so Conor Bradley will face Kylian Mbappe in a big test of his young career.

The other flank will have given Slot some food for thought, now that Andy Robertson faces the prospect of playing three games in eight days after Tsimikas’ injury.

Joe Gomez is the alternative if Slot wants to keep his experienced left-back fresh, but the Scot’s presence in the media ahead of the match suggests he has made up his mind:

• Kelleher remains in goal in the continued absence of Alisson
• Robertson will start again at left back, while Bradley will be retained on the right
• Alexis Mac Allister returns to midfield
• Luis Diaz plays the central role with Salah and Cody Gakpo on either side

There would be two changes compared to the weekend, and would look like this:

Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz

While that is the likely lineup, Curtis Jones has a strong chance of starting after being taken off the field just after the hour mark in Sunday’s match. This would leave Dominik Szoboszlai with an option from the bank.

Alexis Mac Allister returns to the starting line-up after playing the final 28 minutes at Southampton, who will maintain their record starting in every Champions League match to date.

Finally, it’s hard to look beyond a trio of Salah, Gakpo and Diaz, but Darwin Nunez could start for the third game in a row – which would be his longest streak this season:

• Jones starts next to Gravenberch and Mac Allister
• Nunez is once again in the lead alongside Salah and Diaz

Those adjustments look like this:

Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, MacAllister, Jones; Salah, Diaz, Nunez

There is plenty for Liverpool to think about on Wednesday night, but there is clearly no need to push for Alexander-Arnold’s return given the opportunities that await on Sunday.

We all want to give Real a taste of what they have done to us in recent years and that is still possible regardless of how Slot lines up under the Anfield lights.