Liverpool team news confirmed as Arne Slot makes Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz decisions

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak drop to the Liverpool bench as Arne Slot's Premier League champions host Everton in the 247th Merseyside derby.

Isak made his Reds debut in Wednesday night's 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid and lasted an hour before being replaced, but having played just 78 minutes since May, the Sweden international is named on the bench with Hugo Ekitike starting in his place.

France international Ekitike leads the line and is flanked by Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah with Isak, Wirtz and Rio Ngumoha on the bench as attacking reinforcements.

Wirtz is also named among the substitutes having started five in a row this term and Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are joined by Alexis Mac Allister in the midfield engine room as a result.

That is one of four changes in total from Slot.

Milos Kerkez returns at left-back in place of Andy Robertson, with Conor Bradley named on the right in place of Jeremie Frimpong, who started against Atleti in midweek.

Article continues below

As expected, Virgil van Dijk partners Ibrahima Konate and Alisson Becker is named in goal as the Reds go in search of a sixth successive victory this term.

The Reds meet Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening with Slot expected to make wholesale changed for the visit of the Saints.

Liverpool: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Wirtz, Isak, Jones, Robertson, Frimpong, Ngumoha.