As I anticipated, this match featured several rotations: Mac Allister replaced Szoboszlai at left defensive midfielder, Kerkez replaced Roberson at left back, Ekitiké replaced Isak at center forward, and Szoboszlai replaced Wirtz at attacking midfielder. The only player I wouldn't dare rotate is Gravenberch—his defensive midfield position currently lacks suitable replacements, as Endo and Jones cannot fully fill his role. Additionally, Bradley replaced Frimpong at right-back, indicating Slot prioritized defensive solidity from his full-backs—primarily to contain the opposition's Grealish.
With Wirtz benched, Salah reclaimed the tactical focal point. The “McAllister-Szoboszlai-Gravenberch” midfield trio reunited for the first time this season, adopting a style reminiscent of last term yet with notable evolution. Gravenberch now shoulders greater attacking responsibilities alongside his defensive duties. In attack, he operates more like a number 8, driving forward with the ball and making runs into the box. The first goal came after midfield build-up play found Salah on the right flank; Gravenberch made a run into the right side of the box to meet Salah's pass and volleyed home. The second goal followed a similar pattern, with Gravenberch playing a pass into the right side of the box for Ekitiké to finish. After taking a 2-0 lead, Liverpool slowed the tempo to conserve energy, while Everton launched multiple attacks centered around Grealish. Bradley faced increasing defensive pressure. Despite rotational support from Szoboszlai and Gravenberch, he still conceded opportunities and picked up a yellow card. I expected Slot to replace Bradley with a midfielder, shifting Szoboszlai to right-back. Instead, he stuck to his plan: Jones came on for Mac Allister after 60 minutes, Wirtz replaced Gakpo on the left wing, and Isak took Ekitiké's spot as center forward. Considering fatigue, Liverpool didn't push for a third goal after conceding in the 58th minute. They focused more on securing the lead defensively and launching counterattacks, though Wirtz missed a prime chance on one such break. The team ultimately defended resolutely to preserve the 2-1 victory, extending their league winning streak to five matches and widening their lead over second place to five points.
With three matches in seven days, player stamina was significantly impacted. Fortunately, Everton's play was notably less aggressive than in previous encounters, reducing injury risks. Playing conservatively to secure the win was understandable.
The upcoming League Cup match will inevitably require extensive rotation. My predicted starting lineup:
Goalkeeper: Mamardashvili
Center Backs: Leoni, Endo
Left Back: Roberson
Right Back: Gomez
Defensive Midfielders: Jones, Nyoni
Attacking Midfielder: Chiesa
Left Winger: Ngumoha
Right Winger: Frimpong
Center Forward: Isak
Predicting the defensive midfielder, center-backs, and right-back positions is challenging. Endo could play either defensive midfield or center-back, while Bajcetic, Williams, and Danns are also likely candidates for playing time. Van Dijk, Gravenberch, Salah, Szoboszlai, and Becker will definitely not feature.
Mac Allister, Ekitiké, and Wirtz may come off the bench.