Liverpool team news v Everton: Slot makes surprise call at right-back; no Alisson in the squad | OneFootball

Liverpool return to action 17 days after defeat in the Carabao Cup final, and what a fixture they have tonight!

The 246th Merseyside derby sees Everton make the short hop across Stanley Park in their final visit to Anfield before they relocate to Bramley-Moore Dock, and to say that there’s a bit of added spice to this game after the sides’ previous meeting would be an understatement.

The 2-2 draw in February ended in acrimony as Abdoulaye Doucoure’s provocative celebrations triggered Curtis Jones as a melee broke out, while Arne Slot and Sipke Hulshoff were both red-carded for their post-match comments to Michael Oliver after the controversy surrounding James Tarkowski’s 98th-minute equaliser.

The Liverpool head coach has vowed to try and avoid a repeat of those scenes tonight, and hopefully the only talking point come 10pm will be a dominant Reds performance to go along with a fourth successive Anfield derby win.

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Liverpool starting XI to face Everton

Slot has made just one change in perssonel from the side which started the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle, but the Liverpool boss has gone with some eye-catching calls.

Alisson Becker misses out on the squad entirely, so Caoimhin Kelleher keeps his place in the starting XI with Vitezslav Jaros on the bench.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Bradley injured, Curtis Jones is selected to start in an unfamiliar right-back role, and the rest of the back four is unchanged from Wembley.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister again form a powerful midfield duo, and the front four is the same as the Carabao Cup final with Dominik Szoboszlai at number 10, Diogo Jota at centre-forward and Mo Salah and Luis Diaz on the flanks.

Federico Chiesa has to be content with a place on the bench yet again despite his impressive cameo at Wembley, while Jarell Quansah surprisingly drops out given the scarcity of right-backs. James McConnell is also a notable substitute.

You can view the Liverpool starting XI and substitutes below, via @LFC on X: