Big Liverpool signing to be benched with Slot to make no-brainer selection call

Arne Slot should have the chance to make an obvious selection call for Liverpool’s first match back after the international break, and the end result will see a summer signing drop to the bench.

Liverpool square off against Nottingham Forest on Saturday in what they’ll hope and pray will be the start of a winning streak.

The Reds’ title defence is already in tatters having lost five matches in the Premier League – one more than they lost in the entire campaign last year.

But with the fixture list in the league reading Forest, West Ham, Sunderland, Leeds, Brighton in the next five, Liverpool will expect no less than 15 points.

Slot faces a number of selection decisions all across the pitch. Robertson vs Kerkez, Ekitike vs Isak, Szoboszlai vs Wirtz. However, one selection call that practically solves itself is between the sticks.

Giorgi Mamardashvili has deputised for Alisson Becker over the past seven weeks while the Brazilian recovered from yet another hamstring injury.

Alisson remains arguably the world’s best goalkeeper, but keeping those hamstrings in one piece is proving tricky for the Reds’ medical team.

Prior to the international break, Slot insisted Alisson would “for sure” be in contention to start against Forest.

And per the latest from The Evening Standard, Alisson will return to full team training this week in a bid to prove he’s fit and firing to reclaim the starting spot at Anfield on Saturday.

Alisson must start if available

In truth, Mamardashvili has done little wrong in Alisson’s absence, despite the fact Liverpool have lost four of the five league matches he’s started, shipping 10 goals along the way.

Fingers could be pointed at the giant Georgian for the part he played in Kevin Schade’s goal in Brentford’s 3-2 victory over the Reds on October 25.

We’re all familiar with Alisson’s prowess in one-v-one situations, with the Brazilian so often choosing the perfect time to rush the attacker the split-second they’ve taken a heavy touch and smother a shot.

In this instance, Mamardashvili backed away, backed away… then backed away some more before eventually diving out of the way of the shot. Alisson always makes the attacker beat him, he never beats himself.

In truth, that is perhaps the only negative in Mamardashvili’s column and given Alisson’s status as the world’s best, Mamardashvili will fully expect a demotion to the bench anyway.

If Alisson manages to stay fit, and given Liverpool have already exited the League Cup, Mamardashvili’s next appearance will likely be Liverpool’s FA Cup third round tie in early January.

Latest Liverpool news – Double signing / Trent…

In other news, Liverpool will sign one of the best players in the Premier League for £35m less than they would have paid if sealing the deal last summer, according to a reporter.

Elsewhere, sources have revealed that Liverpool are “ahead in the race” to sign Antoine Semenyo after learning of the conditions needed for a January transfer – but Tottenham are also ready to throw their hat into the ring and cannot be discounted just yet.

Finally, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s disastrous start to life at Real Madrid has sunk to a new low after Thomas Tuchel claimed the defender is behind a former Liverpool teammate in the pecking order at right-back for England – despite the fact the former teammate isn’t even a right-back.