Raphinha: does he start and does he rise to the occasion?
It would be more surprising if Liverpool were not among the clubs casting an eye over Raphinha, the Brazil regular playing in the Premier League’s bottom half.
There is some irony in the fact Raphinha, good enough for Europe’s best clubs, may not even start for Leeds United tonight.
If Marcelo Bielsa leaves him out and they lose again, the questions about why will only mount. If he starts after that decent turn from the bench on Sunday, can he turn on the fireworks with one of those displays that have Europe’s best clamouring?
Firpo: does he start and does he cope with Salah?
Junior Firpo was good from the bench in his first appearance for a month on Sunday against Manchester United, especially in attack, where he completed more key passes than anyone in the 90 minutes.
The flipside to those attacking traits is the cavernous space he is partial to leaving behind him down the left flank where, tonight, one Mohamed Salah will be prowling.
Bielsa has a call to make on Stuart Dallas or Firpo at full-back. The latter releases Dallas into midfield, but could quickly evoke memories of the torment Tariq Lamptey subjected him to at Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this term.
Llorente to recover?
Diego Llorente has pushed his way to the top of the club’s central defensive rankings this season with his confidence on the ball, defence-splitting passes and aggression with attackers.
Sunday was a lapse for the Spain international, however, and Llorente is playing his part in a defence which has shipped 10 goals in the last three games.
He was weak under Harry Maguire’s header and pulled out of position for Bruno Fernandes’s leap. It was a sloppy performance and there needs to be something at Anfield to restore confidence in Llorente.
More and more he looks like he is missing the guiding authority of Liam Cooper alongside him.
Channelling the spirit of September 2020
A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since United last visited Anfield in what was their first Premier League match for 16 years.
The anticipation, excitement and expectation of that day was delivered upon with a rip-roaring seven-goal thriller that has come to define United in the Premier League under Bielsa.
On three occasions Leeds came back from a goal down to level at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 before Rodrigo’s clumsy, late tackle gifted Salah an 88th-minute penalty.
So much has changed, but if Leeds need inspiration, that was a day they should be able to draw upon.
