Arne Slot faces Hugo Ekitike decision as Liverpool consider new-look forward line

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Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCLiverpool are next up against Real Madrid in the Champions League with Arne Slot facing some selection posersLiverpool avoided another new low of a difficult campaign when they earned a comfortable 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa at home on Saturday evening. Goals in each half from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch were sufficient to move the Reds back into the top four.Arne Slot's side now face another major test of their Champions League credentials when they take on Real Madrid at Anfield on Tuesday evening in a rerun of last season's opening stage encounter.And here we look ahead to the changes Slot could make when his team are next in action.READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister fumes at Amadou Onana as Liverpool unhappy with Stuart Attwell decisionREAD MORE: Liverpool 19-year-old can't stop scoring as bizarre injury-time period ends in miseryRobertson callA return to winning ways will give Slot much to ponder over just how much he rotates for both the Real Madrid game and the Premier League trip to Manchester City next Sunday.There won't, though, be any change in goal with the continued absence of Alisson Becker meaning Giorgi Mamardashvili is the preferred choice ahead of Freddie Woodman.At right-back, Conor Bradley now faces the challenge of starting two games inside four days for the first time since Real last visited almost 12 months ago.

With Jeremie Frimpong injured, Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai are the alternatives.Gomez is also on standby at centre-back should the regular partnership of Ibrahima Konate and skipper Virgil van Dijk need rotating. Wataru Endo is the only other senior option with Giovanni Leoni out for the season.And there could be a big call at left-back, where Andy Robertson started a Premier League game for the first time this season at the weekend ahead of Milos Kerkez.Same again in midfield?Slot opted to return to last season's midfield on Saturday and was rewarded with a goal, an assist and a man-of-the-match performance from the trio.Fit-again Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are the first-choice pairing in the double pivot, with Szoboszlai and Endo other options.Curtis Jones is fighting to overcome a groin problem and, should he return, is an alternative in all three regular midfield roles.Szoboszlai was back in the number 10 slot against Villa ahead of Florian Wirtz, who has now started only two of Liverpool's last six matches.

Teenager Trey Nyoni is likely to be among the substitutes while Stefan Bajcetic remains out.Wirtz considerationWhat Slot does with his attack may all depend on whether Alexander Isak has overcome a groin issue to potentially replace or partner Hugo Ekitike up front, as in Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt a fortnight ago.More likely is Liverpool will stick to their 4-2-3-1 formation. And if Isak is out, there could be an opening for Federico Chiesa to rotate in for Ekitike down the centre, or that Wirtz is used as a false nine as when brought on from the bench against Villa.Mohamed Salah is the undisputed regular starter on the right ahead of Chiesa, while Cody Gakpo remains preferred to teenager Rio Ngumoha on the left although both Ekitike and Wirtz are considerations.