Although there is a risk of beating the weather drum here, Liverpool’s Premier League clash at Everton’s new stadium on Sunday is one Arne Slot cannot afford to miss.
He needs to win, and work well to start. In recent weeks, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain beat the Reds in the FA Cup and Champions League respectively. Both by a four-goal streak.
It’s all about making it to the elite European competition with a top-five finish. This is well short of base expectations, but at least it will allow the Reds to get going again next season.
Liverpool have won just one of their last eight games at Goodison Park, and Slot will be hoping for a thrilling hunt on Sunday. A lot, to say the least, is on the line, and to defend three points, the coach might consider a bold call by naming Alexander Isak as a substitute.
Why Slot should drop Liverpool’s Isak
When Liverpool signed Isak from Newcastle United in a record-breaking £125m deal, they expected a star to lead them to silverware. That could still happen, of course, but it certainly hasn’t happened yet.
They will need the Swedish striker to find form quickly, with Hugo Ekitike out (probably) for the rest of 2026 after rupturing his Achilles against PSG. It’s a bad, bad injury for a top athlete, and it could be more than a year until the passionate Frenchman is at his best again.
Make no mistake, Isak is one of the deadliest frontmen in the world. Hailed by Jamie Carragher as “the best striker in the Premier League right now” in January 2025. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen anything close to matching his Newcastle form, and besides, his current fitness poses a danger in the Merseyside derby.
|
Liverpool top scorers (2025/26) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The player |
Applications |
Goals |
|
Hugo Ekitike |
45 |
17 |
|
Dominik Szoboszlai |
47 |
12 |
|
Mohamed Salah |
37 |
11 |
|
Cody Gakpo |
46 |
8 |
|
Florian Wirtz |
44 |
6 |
|
Alexander Isaac |
19 |
3 |
Isak hasn’t been in great goalscoring form this season, but with Ekitike out, you can understand why Slot might be inclined to start him against Everton, even if his fitness levels continue to leave something to be desired.
However, Liverpool have a wild card in their new signing Divock Origi.
Liverpool’s wildcard could turn out to be the new Origi
Decades later, Origi will still be remembered at Anfield. He was a big-time man, and his Champions League-clinching strike against Tottenham Hotspur in the 2019 final secured his cult status.
The Belgian also loved a goal against Everton, and Slot’s side could do with a striker like him this weekend. However, they might have one in Federico Chiesa.
Now, let’s get something straight: the chances of Chiesa starting in the Merseyside derby are slim. The slot gave him just one start in the top flight this season, a 2-1 win over lowly Wolves at Anfield.
However, there is a lingering sense within Liverpool that is convinced that this tough and talented striker can contribute a lot. He scored the winner against Bournemouth on the opening day and then came up with a great goal against Crystal Palace, securing a late equalizer (although the Reds lost late on).
This time, the 28-year-old matches Origi’s come-up-trumps style, actually being hailed as “Divock Origi regen” by journalist Lewis Oldham for his ability to withstand great pressure and provide for his team.
A number of promising performances in the Carabao Cup ultimately failed to give Chiesa the platform to do so, but with little options ahead of this crucial clash, this could prove an interesting way for Slot to disrupt Everton’s preparations, starting a strong, hard-working player in the ninth position.
Chiesa’s attacking style from the back may require Salah to play closer to the penalty area than he has for most of the season. This may benefit the outgoing Egyptian. Jeremy Frimpong’s speed and power in the wide will help make this easier.
Isak is expected to enter the fray in the second half and make a difference, but perhaps that would be a better way for Slot to continue his planning. The 26-year-old was unknown in the Champions League before going on break, making five touches.
Whether Liverpool start their new Origi remains to be seen, but Slot is at risk of being too predictable in setting their game plans, and due to the lack of options, this could be the perfect way to fight against a hostile Everton opponent whose defenders will look to swallow Isak completely.
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