Mohamed Salah will hope to quickly return to Liverpool’s starting lineup as they face Fulham in the Premier League this weekend.
The Reds icon, who will leave Anfield this summer after nine years, was again dropped to the bench for Wednesday night’s 2-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie and did not come on.
However, whereas the initial dropping of Salah back in December made significant headlines, this time the focus was much more on the under-fire Arne Slot’s decision to switch to a back five against PSG - a choice that ultimately backfired during an abject display as his side were totally dominated, had only 26 per cent possession and failed to register a single shot on target at the Parc des Princes.
Slot will surely swiftly abandon that experiment at home to Fulham on Saturday as Liverpool desperately try and avoid a fourth successive defeat across all competitions and jump-start their bid for a top-five finish this season, having lost 2-1 at Brighton on their last top-flight outing before the recent international break.
With first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker still out, Giorgi Mamardashvili will deputise again having made a series of top saves to keep Liverpool just about alive in their last-eight tie against holders PSG.
Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez played as wing-backs in Paris, though should revert to full-back roles in a traditional four-man defence here with Joe Gomez potentially making way.
Gomez may also be preferred to Frimpong, who can operate further forward down the right flank, while Ibrahima Konate came in for more criticism on Wednesday. Andy Robertson is an alternative to Kerkez.
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister should feature in midfield, with Curtis Jones pushing for another opportunity.
Salah will hope to return on the right, with Florian Wirtz on the opposite flank and Dominik Szoboszlai also in an advanced position supporting striker Hugo Ekitike.
Alexander Isak made his return from injury off the bench against PSG, but was barely involved and likely lacks enough match fitness to start just yet after three-and-a-half months out with a broken leg.
Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa are other options for Liverpool in attack, while fans will want to see more chances handed to young sensation Rio Ngumoha. Fellow teenager Trey Nyoni was also sent on late in the Champions League.
Along with Alisson, long-term absentees Conor Bradley, Wataru Endo and Giovanni Leoni all remain sidelined.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
Injured: Alisson, Bradley, Endo, Leoni
Time and date: 3pm BST on Saturday April 11, 2026
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
