With a little over a month left of a trying and testing Liverpool season, they have seven fixtures left to squeeze in before the final whistle on May 28.
After the Reds made it four games unbeaten with a nervy 3-2 triumph against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, they now visit West Ham United on Wednesday evening looking to close the gap on the top four to six points once more.
With a sparsely populated fixture list of late, Jurgen Klopp has been reluctant to make changes to his team, keeping the same line-up for the last three fixtures. He has been able to do that largely thanks to the schedule that has seen his team play just three times in two weeks; a far cry from last season's exertions at this stage of the campaign.
READ MORE: Liverpool could finally replace Gini Wijnaldum with signing Trent Alexander-Arnold will love
READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk reveals how Liverpool dressing room feels about Trent Alexander-Arnold change
But with the visit to the London Stadium marking a relatively quick turnaround from Saturday's win against Forest, Klopp is likely to make some changes in the capital.
In terms of the back five, Klopp will likely keep faith with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson in front of Alisson Becker in goal. There is a case to be made, potentially, for Kostas Tsimikas to come in for Robertson but the Scotland captain will probably get the nod.
The Alexander-Arnold experiment in recent weeks has been fascinating to watch up close. The No.66 is essentially trying to play two positions at once: as a central midfielder when in possession and at right-back without the ball. It's a tactical tweak that meets those demanding the defender be moved into midfield halfway and, with four assists in his last three games, it is certainly one that is working at present. Expect that feature to be prominent against West Ham.
It is midfield that will supply the biggest selection questions, as ever. No Stefan Bajcetic, of course, after his season-ending injury, while recent weeks have seen Harvey Elliott taken out of the firing line of sorts after featuring in all fixtures up until the goalless draw at Chelsea nearly a fortnight ago.
Thiago Alcantara could be handed his first start since the 3-0 loss to Wolves on February 4 having played against Leeds and Forest as a second-half substitute last week. With Alexander-Arnold floating into midfield, the prospect of the pair cutting holes in opposition defences with their sublime passing ranges is a mouth-watering prospect. Will Klopp opt for the former Bayern Munich man in London?
If he does, that could mean a rest for Curtis Jones who has started the last four games, dating back to that draw at Stamford Bridge on April 4. The England Under-21 international is still managing that stress problem in the tibia of his right leg, so a rest could be in the offing, despite his eye-catching performances in the last few matches.
Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo were not in the squad on Saturday, so it would represent a major surprise if any of that trio were named in the lineup against the Hammers. Klopp will likely deliver the latest on the fitness of all three in his Tuesday press conference but it looks like they are entering the final weeks of their respective careers on Merseyside.
Should Thiago start, it could be a chance to give either captain Jordan Henderson or Fabinho a breather against David Moyes's side, who were impressive 4-0 winners at Bournemouth on Sunday. With Tottenham Hotspur coming to Anfield at the weekend, it might be an option to rest the skipper ahead of that huge game for Liverpool's flickering top-four hopes.
Up top, it would be a shock if Diogo Jota is taken out of the side given his four-goal salvo in games against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest last week. The Portugal international has spent large swathes of this campaign out injured so a third start in nine days might be weighed up against the merits of his purple patch, but the former Wolves star is a huge goal threat right now.
The same goes for Mohamed Salah, who netted three himself in the matches against Leeds and Forest. Now up to 27 for the campaign, the Egyptian will have serious designs on another 30-goal season. He will start on the right of the front three.
So the major call for Klopp is who leads the line? Does Cody Gakpo start once more or is there a claim for Darwin Nunez? Klopp spoke on Friday about the Uruguay international's need to develop his game on the defensive side, which is why he has been selected off the left in recent weeks.
But with Spurs on the horizon, might this be a match for Gakpo to sit out in favour of the 14-goal Nunez? It's another poser for the manager to assess.
READ NEXT:
Brighton CEO breaks silence on Alexis Mac Allister future amid Liverpool transfer links
Mohamed Salah chases Steven Gerrard as Ibrahima Konate gets into trouble
Sadio Mane is not the player Liverpool have missed most and yesterday proved it
Ryan Gravenberch may have given the game away about Liverpool interest
Fabinho and Alisson break silence on Roberto Firmino leaving Liverpool in emotional interview
