Liverpool midfield search goes on as difficult Nunez & Salah decisions needed

Having made five changes for what was a fourth away game in 10 games, Jurgen Klopp now has more than a week to stew on his next Liverpool team selection at Anfield.

Next up for the Reds is the visit from Tottenham Hotspur and Klopp finds himself without a midweek game for the first time since early February.

With ample time on the training pitch and a squad largely free of injuries, the Liverpool manager has a lot of the raw materials he loves to work with and there can be no excuse for another slow start and concession of the first goal, which are symptoms which have blighted the campaign, even allowing for the progress that has undoubtedly been made.

Sixteen times, in fact, have the Reds shipped the first goal in the Premier League this term, which is a horrifying statistic.

At the back, some real consideration will be given to the return of Ibrahima Konate. The France international defender has struggled since suffering a muscle problem in the 5-1 win over Sparta Prague in March but a full week on the AXA Training pitches might reinvigorate the centre-half, who is vying for a spot alongside Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez, who feels more like an all-round utility man these days.

Andy Robertsonand Trent-Alexander Arnold are likely to be retained in the full-back spots while captain Virgil van Dijk will start. Interestingly on the point of Robertson, though, the Scotland captain was seen limping out of the London Stadium on Saturday, so all eyes will be on the lookout for him when training pictures are made public later this week.

In midfield, Klopp has used five different players for the six available spots in the last two games. Alexis Mac Allister started both the defeat to Everton and draw at West Ham but Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have all been given a go too.

It's fair to say Klopp is still searching for the right blend at present and Harvey Elliott is also part of the thinking. A lot rests on the ability to find the right combination in the middle of the park. Liverpool's 'best midfield' at the moment is genuinely anyone's guess.

Up top, it will be fascinating to see how the fallout from Klopp's touchline spat with Mohamed Salah manifests itself. The manager insists it has been put to bed and with a week of rest, the Egypt captain might be restored to his usual right-hand spot and demanded to show why he remains an elite performer.

Luis Diaz, one of few players to emerge from a difficult week in credit, is expected to line up on the opposite flank to Salah leaving a decision on Cody Gakpo or Darwin Nunez.

Nunez was anonymous against Everton and was only sent on with 10 minutes to spare at West Ham, while Gakpo has generally looked lively in recent weeks.

Diogo Jotais still expected to be sidelined having been given a two-week diagnosis by his manager before the Goodison Park visit. It would be a surprise - and a major boost - if Jota can come back into contention any sooner, meaning it is Nunez or Gakpo for the central spot. As ever, it is decisions, decisions for Klopp.