Liverpool XI vs. Chelsea: Isak Decision Made—Injury News, Predicted Lineup

The Reds have been without an array of big names at the end of a disappointing 2025–26 season.

Alexander Isak is dealing with a niggle. | Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Liverpool can move to within a point of Champions League qualification should they perpetuate Chelsea’s misery on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams enter the weekend‘s bout in rather somber moods, with the hosts disappointed to have succumbed to their first Manchester United double in a decade. Arne Slot’s side simply weren’t good enough at Old Trafford despite an early second-half rally, as Kobbie Mainoo’s strike decided a topsy-turvy affair.

The Red Devils, as a result, confirmed their spot among Europe‘s elite next season. Liverpool have seldom performed like a team capable of competing with the continent’s aristocracy this term, with supporters merely wanting this season to be over.

It soon will be, but Liverpool must ensure there’s an absence of unnecessary tension over the next couple of weeks.

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Liverpool Still Without Key Leaders

Alisson (R) has been nursing another hamstring injury. | Molly Darlington/Getty Images

The under-fire Slot was forced into a rather drastic systematic switch last week at Old Trafford, with Alexander Isak’s absence seeing Liverpool line up with a pair of false nines. We’re unlikely to see a repeat at Anfield on Saturday, with Cody Gakpo potentially used as a lone striker against the Blues.

Slot played down the extent of Isak’s groin injury ahead of last week’s defeat, but the Swede hasn’t yet returned to training. The same goes for Mohamed Salah, who’s still expected to recover from a hamstring injury before the end of the season, and Alisson.

The Brazilian is supposedly close to a return, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be back for Chelsea’s visit.

Giorgi Mamardashvili is unlikely to recover from a leg injury, while Hugo Ekitiké, Wataru Endō, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are out for the long haul.

Ibrahima Konaté was absent from training on Wednesday for reasons unknown.

• ⚠️ Key absentees, doubts: Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Conor Bradley, Wataru Endō, Giovanni Leoni, Hugo Ekitiké, Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, Ibrahima Konaté.
• 🔢 Predicted formation: 4-2-3-1.

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Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea

Liverpool could still be without several big names. | FotMob

GK: Freddie Woodman—Alisson seemingly has a shot at making another long-awaited return, but if the Brazilian isn’t ready, then third-choice Woodman will make his third Premier League start for the Reds.

RB: Joe Gomez—An unused substitute last weekend, Gomez has been sporadically deployed this term, but he could be drafted in to tighten up Liverpool’s right-hand side.

CB: Ibrahima Konaté—Konaté could emerge as an injury doubt ahead of the game, given that he missed training on Wednesday. Still, there don’t seem to be too many concerns regarding a potential injury.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—Liverpool’s captain is one of the many who’ll be keen to see the back of 2025–26, with the imperious aura he rediscovered last season dissipating again.

LB: Milos Kerkez—Slot has turned to the experience of Andy Robertson for Liverpool’s biggest games down the stretch, but the Scot struggled at Old Trafford. With Gomez offering greater security on the opposite flank, we could see Kerkez return to the starting XI.

CM: Ryan Gravenberch—Liverpool’s fluid midfield hasn’t purred to the extent it did last season, but Chelsea’s porous engine room could help the Reds rediscover their 2024–25 mojo.

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai—The Hungarian tried his utmost to will Liverpool over the line at Old Trafford, having got Slot’s side back into the game with a fine solo effort at the start of the second half. We don’t need to see Alexis Mac Allister from the off here.

RW: Jeremie Frimpong—Salah has a chance of returning to the squad this weekend, but the Egyptian could be used off the bench. Frimpong is a pretty poor alternative, but it’s the path Slot will likely have to tread at Anfield.

AM: Florian Wirtz—Wirtz at least occupied some threatening positions last time out and should be afforded similar space by Chelsea this weekend. Still, the German has gone massively off the boil after offering spurts of promise at the start of the year.

LW: Rio Ngumoha—The teenager was caught out defensively last weekend, perhaps vindicating Slot’s lack of faith against the Premier League’s best. However, the Liverpool boss has nothing to fear by using Rio from the outset against this Chelsea team.

ST: Cody Gakpo—Assuming we don’t see the dual false nines again, Gakpo will reprise the center forward role. This is where we saw him for much of the time he spent with Jürgen Klopp at Anfield before Slot got the best out of him out wide last season.

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