Premier League action returns with a host of midweek fixtures and some heavyweight ties on Wednesday night.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who sit top of the Premier League table and have only lost once this season, host Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea at Anfield.
Paul Merson is backing the Reds to secure a narrow 2-1 win and continue their charge of trying to win every trophy this season.
But what type of changes will the Liverpool boss make? Trent Alexander-Arnold returned from injury and got half an hour under his belt during his side’s FA Cup win over Norwich City.
Even though Conor Bradley hasn’t put a foot wrong at right-back, Paul Merson now expects the young star to be dropped for the England international against Chelsea, as he told Sportskeeda.
Whilst the former Arsenal and Aston Villa player admitted that Liverpool’s new kid on the block has made a ‘massive impression’, he just thinks Trent Alexander-Arnold is ‘different class’.
One thing is for sure, with Liverpool facing Arsenal in a huge title showdown on Sunday, this does open the door for the manager to rotate.
So, the ‘absolutely brilliant’ Conor Bradley might still play a bigger role than he thinks this week.
Liverpool v Chelsea
“Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai are back to full fitness and should come straight back into the team,” said Merson.
“Conor Bradley is another young player who has made a massive impression, but Alexander-Arnold will replace him in the XI as he’s just different class.”
The former double-winner added on Sky Sports: “This is a different one this midweek round [to Liverpool’s recent wins], different games. I look at them and think there will be changes. If Trent Alexander-Arnold is fit, I think he will play, [Conor] Bradley has been absolutely brilliant.”
Trent Alexander Arnold’s return
The 25-year-old has been outstanding this season for his side and it could be argued that he has been the best player in the Premier League.
This time last season, just like his teammates, he was struggling for form and producing alarming performances.
But that’s where class is permanent because this is why Alexander-Arnold is one of the best, if not the best, attack-minded fullbacks in the world.
With the emergence of Bradley, it will be interesting to see if Klopp decides to play Alexander-Arnold in midfield because that’s something he has never started with.
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