Arne Slot has two options if Alexander Isak is not fit to start for Liverpool against Crystal Palace - opinion

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Arne Slot has a dilemma over who starts up front for Liverpool when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Reds have brought in two new strikers for big-money this summer, but neither may be available for the trip to Selhurst Park.

Hugo Ekitike is suspended for the Palace match, having been given a needless red card during Tuesday’s win over Southampton.

With Alexander Isak playing the first 45 minutes only against Saints, Ekitike was likely in line to start in the Premier League at Palace.

Isak was probably pencilled in for a 30-minute cameo.

Now that that will not be possible, it could be that Slot changes his plans and begins the game with Isak up front.

But with caution needed so as not to overwork the Swede, the Liverpool head coach has two other options to lead the line instead.

Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images

Assuming – as seems most likely – that Liverpool decide Isak should be limited to a role from the bench, Slot essentially has two options at Selhurst Park.

The first would be a popular one with Liverpool supporters, and that would be to give Federico Chiesa consecutive starts for the first time in his Reds’ career.

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Chiesa was excellent against Southampton on Tuesday and looks ready to make a bigger contribution.

Slot has often preferred the Italian through the middle of the attack, and he is certainly a candidate to lead the line before making way for Isak at some stage.

Alternatively, it is possible that Slot reverts back to a tactic we saw at times during Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning season.

On more than one occasion the Dutchman played without a recognised striker and instead went with two advanced midfielders in false nine style roles.

If Slot chooses this option on Saturday, the best suited options are possibly Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai.

There is one more option available to Slot if he decides Chiesa can’t go again after 90 minutes on Tuesday and wants a better focal point than two midfielders leading the attack.

That would be to give Jayden Danns only a second ever Premier League start following a promising cameo on Tuesday.

Danns has had a woeful time with injury over the past 18 months, but it is clear that Slot rates him to some degree.

The 19-year-old would be the most like-for-like replacement for Isak and Ekitike and may have an outside chance of getting a start.

With two heavyweight centre-forwards in his way this season, Danns must take every chance he gets to make an impact.