Arne Slot is juggling a host of high-performing Liverpool stars, and a conundrum in one particular position is about to get even tougher.
The No 10 role has already thrown up one big surprise at Anfield this season, with Curtis Jones displacing Dominik Szobszlai and becoming a key figure in the starting line-up. Jones has since taken that club form to the international stage, with two brilliant performances for England against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
Slot has a job on his hands to keep Jones’ momentum going and avoid Szboszlai’s mood turning sour. But the return of Harvey Elliott is set to add another layer of intrigue to the competition in attacking midfield.
Elliott has only played seven minutes for Liverpool this season, and he has been out since fracturing his foot on England U21s duty in September. But the 21-year-old is expected to be fit again at the resumption of domestic action this weekend.
And his talent is not to be underestimated. Elliott averaged just shy of 50 appearances per season in Jurgen Klopp’s last two campaigns, becoming a regular fixture in the Premier League and in Europe.
He is too good, too established and too accomplished to be collecting dust on the sidelines every week. Slot must find a way to give him minutes and get him back up to speed.
His quality could come in handy during a busy festive fixture schedule, with Liverpool still fighting in the Premier League, the Champions League and the Carabao Cup. FA Cup action, meanwhile, will kick off just after the New Year.
Having three high-quality players to choose from is by no means a crisis for Slot. But it does leave him with the nigh on impossible task of keeping Jones, Szoboszlai and Elliott motivated when they are all competing for one starting berth.
The Reds return to action at bottom club Southampton this Sunday. And Slot has a five-point lead to protect at the top of the Premier League table, having left Manchester City and Arsenal trailing in the opening months of his Anfield reign.
Things could hardly be going better for the Premier League newcomer. But his side will be put to a stern test in the days following this weekend’s trip to St Mary’s, with the proceeding 10 days taking in heavyweight clashes against Real Madrid, Man City, Newcastle United and Merseyside rivals Everton.
