By oldest 
Woke up this morning already buzzing ’bout the Liverpool vs Arsenal clash brewing this weekend. Grabbed my extra strong coffee first thing – needed fuel for figuring out that lineup puzzle. Knew the Key Players were obvious; Mo Salah always starts if fit, Virgil van Dijk anchors that defense, and Alisson Becker is a brick wall in goal. But those tricky positions? Gave me headaches even before the caffeine kicked in.
The Digging Begins
First step involved hitting the forums and trusted news feeds. Man, the rumors were flying wilder than a clearance kick. Some folks were absolutely convinced Darwin Nunez had to start down the middle after his recent scrapes. Others were screaming for Cody Gakpo, saying his link-up play was smoother. Felt like refereeing a pub argument in my own living room.
Pen & Paper Time
Took out my trusty notepad – the one covered in scribbled formations and coffee stains. Started jotting down what we knew:
- Salah pinned on the right flank. No brainer.
- Mac Allister pulling strings in midfield? Everyone seemed sure about that.
- The big debate? Who partners Big Virg at center-back. Konate or Quansah? My gut said Konate for his pure physical scrap.
Then came the tricky bits. Left-back was a head-scratcher. Joe Gomez has been solid there, but Andy Robertson was back training. Did the boss trust Robbo’s engine just yet after being out? Felt like rolling dice. And that midfield spot next to Mac Allister… Szoboszlai? Jones? Elliott buzzing around? Tough choices.
Piecing My XI Together
After staring at my scribbles for ages, comparing how players did in the last few matches and thinking about Arsenal’s threats down the wings, here’s the mess I settled on for my predicted starting XI:
- Alisson
- Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez
- Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister
- Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Yeah, picked Gomez for his steadiness over throwing Robbo straight in. Went with Konate’s power alongside Virg. And up front? Opted for Nunez’s chaotic energy through the middle – figured we needed that battering ram against Arsenal’s backline, Diaz keeping width on the left. Szoboszlai for his energy bombing forward.
Wait & See Mode
But honestly? This lineup guesswork feels shaky as a deck chair on a boat sometimes. Last-minute fitness tests, the manager’s gut feeling… seen it all blow up before kickoff. All I can say for sure is the Key Players will be involved. The rest? We just gotta sweat it out ’til that team sheet drops. Fingers crossed my scribbles got somewhere close!
