Liverpool's long-term succession plan to begin as Arne Slot confronts Alexander Isak question

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Having come through three games in less a week at Burnley and at home to Atletico Madrid and Everton, it was no surprise to hear Arne Slot talking up the need for changes against Southampton on Tuesday night.

Liverpool get their Carabao Cup campaign underway against the Saints at Anfield at the third-round stage and as has become customary for this competition, alterations to the lineup will be virtually wholesale.

Given the strength in depth that exists now at Anfield, Slot will have full confidence in whoever gets the nod but the Reds boss, uncharacteristically, was far from coy when revealing who wouldn't be involved after Saturday's 2-1 win over Everton.

“The good thing is I have the option to rotate throughout the week, and the ones that played three times 90 minutes are Virgil (van Dijk), Ibou (Ibrahima Konate), Mo (Mohamed Salah), Ryan (Gravenberch) and Dom (Dominik Szoboszlai)," Slot said.

READ MORE:National media rave over Liverpool's 'majestic' Ryan Gravenberch as Zinedine Zidane point made

"The ones that are used to this intensity at this level, and again they showed up really good.

The Georgia international was a 2024 signing, with his £29m deal struck with Valencia seeing him arrive on Merseyside earlier this summer.

Mamardashvili is seen, long term, as the heir to Alisson Becker's throne and those first tentative steps will be taken on Tuesday evening against the Championship outfit.

There is a succession place in for the vaunted and long-serving Alisson and this will be 24-year-old Mamardashvili's chance to show a little of why he is seen as the future between the sticks on Merseyside.

At right-back, it could be a chance for Jeremie Frimpong to build on his start to Liverpool life, while vice-captain Andy Robertson will start in possession of the armband.

Joe Gomez will almost certainly get his first start of the season alongside Leoni.

In midfield, academy hopeful Trey Nyoni could be called in having not featured for the Under-21s against Manchester United on Sunday.

Wataru Endo is expected to give the engine room as experience and bite, while Curtis Jones may be handed a chance for more minutes after returning from injury in Saturday's derby.

Up top, this could be the night for Alexander Isak to take his most significant step yet towards 100% match fitness.

Jayden Danns is also vying for a place if Slot feels Isak is not worth the risk.

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Should Isak start, he is expected to be flanked by Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha on the right and left, respectively.

These are the opportunities he simply must take given Salah will always start league games when fit.

For Ngumoha, this will be a big night to build on what has been an exceptional couple of months for the 17-year-old that included him becoming the youngest scorer in the club's history with his dramatic 100th-minute winner at Newcastle.

Big things are now being expected of the England Under-19 international and the League Cup will be his chance to shine.