Liverpool split their last three games, beating Brentford 2-1 on October 17 after a 0-3 loss to Man City on October 11, with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth back on September 20 in between. The Brentford result snapped the skid caused by the City defeat, but the manner of that loss still lingers. A win here would give Iraola’s side consecutive victories for the first time in this stretch and steady their position in the table.
Liverpool projected lineup
Iraola sets Liverpool up in a 4-2-3-1 with Alisson behind a back line of Araujo, Van Dijk, Jacquet and Kerkez. Gravenberch and Mac Allister sit in midfield behind a front line of Wirtz, Barcola and Gakpo supporting Isak as the lone striker. The team is missing Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Leoni, Nallo and Ekitiké, with Ekitiké’s absence up front leaving Isak as the central reference point and shifting more creative responsibility onto Wirtz and Mac Allister.
Liverpool projected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson, Ronald Araujo, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil Van Dijk, Miloš Kerkez, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Alexis Mac Allister, Bradley Barcola, Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo. Coach: Andoni Iraola.
Albion projected lineup
Hürzeler goes with a mirrored 4-2-3-1, Verbruggen in goal protected by Kadioglu, Vušković, Dunk and Boscagli. Gross and Ayari anchor midfield, with Andrés and Gómez tucked behind Kostoulas and De Cuyper in the front four. Albion are without Struijk, Wieffer, Tzimas, Minteh, Ferguson, Yohanna, Azeez and Mitoma, a long absentee list that puts extra weight on Kostoulas to lead the attack and on Gross and Ayari to control the tempo without their usual depth options.
Albion projected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Bart Verbruggen, Ferdi Kadioglu, Luka Vušković, Lewis Dunk, Olivier Boscagli, Pascal Gross, Yasin Ayari, Chema Andrés, Diego Gómez, Charalampos Kostoulas, Maxim De Cuyper. Coach: Fabian Hürzeler.
