Arne Slot will make changes when Liverpool face PSV Eindhoven.
Given the Reds already have their spot booked in the last 16 of the Champions League, the pressure is off as Slot returns to his native Holland for the first time since being appointed Anfield head coach. It’s a luxury that Slot would have dreamed about at the start of the season – although even he might not have thought it was possible.
In the new league format of European’s elite club competition, Liverpool were handed some tricky encounters. They were drawn against their recent kryptonite Real Madrid, the reigning champions, along with Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen. Both were put the sword with aplomb on Merseyside.
In addition, AC Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig, Lille and Girona all compete in the top five European leagues. There were no games against relative minnows such as Slovan Bratislava, Young Boys or Red Star Belgrade. Liverpool now prepare to face PSV, who are the Dutch champions and top the table yet again. At least they’re not in desperate need of a win like Manchester City to reach the play-off round. The Reds have been afforded the chance to leave nine players out of their squad, including captain Virgil van Dijk, talisman Mo Salah and midfield linchpin Ryan Gravenberch.