Jürgen Klopp faces Darwin Nunez decision as Liverpool’s mouth-watering midfield combination emerges

A look at how Liverpool could line up when they visit West Ham United on Wednesday night

With just over a month into a difficult season at Liverpool, there are seven games left before the final whistle on 28 May.

After going four games unbeaten in a nerve-racking 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, the Reds visit West Ham United on Wednesday night to close the gap in the top four to six points.

With a sparsely populated squad of late, Jurgen Klopp has been reluctant to make any changes to his squad, sticking to the same line-up for the past three games. He was able to do this mainly thanks to the schedule in which his team only played three games in two weeks; a far cry from last season’s efforts at this stage of the campaign.

But with the visit to the London Stadium marking a relatively quick turnaround following Saturday’s win against Forest, Klopp is likely to make some changes in the capital. As for the back five, Klopp is expected to line up with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson ahead of Alisson Becker in goal. Kostas Tsimikas may have to replace Robertson, but the Scottish captain is likely to take the hammer.

It was fascinating to watch Alexander Arnold’s experience up close over the past few weeks. The No.66 basically tries to play two positions at once: as a central midfielder when in possession and as a right-back when out of possession. He’s a tactical fit that caters to those asking for the defender to be moved to midfield midfield, and with four assists in his last three games, it’s certainly one that works right now. Expect this feature to be important against West Ham.

The midfielder will continue to ask the biggest selection questions. No Stefan Bajcetic, of course, following his season-ending injury, while Harvey Elliott has been sidelined in recent weeks, having featured in every game leading up to the goalless draw at Chelsea there ago nearly two weeks.

Thiago Alcantara could get his first start since the 3-0 loss to Wolves on February 4 after playing as a second-half substitute against Leeds and Forest last week. With Alexander-Arnold in midfield, the prospect of the pair punching holes in opposing defenses with their great passing ranges is a delightful prospect. Will Klopp opt for the former Bayern Munich player in London?

That could mean peace of mind for Curtis Jones, who has started the last four games since the draw at Stamford Bridge on 4 April. The England Under-21 international is still battling that stress problem in his right hand shin. leg, so a rest could be in sight, despite his impressive performances in recent matches.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo weren’t in the squad on Saturday, so it would be a big surprise if any of that trio were named in the lineup against the Hammers. Klopp is likely to deliver the latest fitness news for all three in his press conference on Tuesday, but they appear to be entering the final weeks of their respective careers on Merseyside. Should Thiago start from the start, this could be an opportunity to give captain Jordan Henderson or Fabinho a break against David Moyes’ side, who won an impressive 4-0 at Bournemouth on Sunday. With Tottenham Hotspur arriving at Anfield this weekend, giving the skipper a rest before that big game for Liverpool’s top four could be an option.

Furthermore, it would be a shock to see Diogo Jota dropped from the squad, given his four volleyed goals last week in matches against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest. The Portuguese international has picked up a lot of injuries this season, so a third start in nine days can be weighed against the merits of his purple spot, but the former Wolves star is a big threat at the moment.

The same goes for Mohamed Salah, who himself scored three goals in matches against Leeds and Forest. Now down to 27 for the campaign, the Egyptian will have serious plans for another 30-goal season. He will start to the right of the top three.

So the primary call for Klopp is: Who’s leading the line? Will Cody Gakpo start again or is there a claim for Darwin Nunez? Klopp spoke on Friday about the Uruguayan international’s need to develop his play on the defensive end, which is why he has been selected from the left in recent weeks. But with Spurs on the horizon, could this be a game for Gakpo to sit in favor of Nunez at 14 goals? This is another issue that the manager must assess.