Competing at the forefront of the Premier League is a bit of a balancing act, with teams – like Liverpool – juggling workloads and rotating players to keep things fresh, with one eye on the prize and, sometimes, the other fixed overseas.
This is the case for the 2023/24 Premier League title challengers, with Arsenal and Manchester City fighting in the Champions League and the Merseysiders pushing to win the Europa League.
Liverpool have completed a stunning resurgence to return to this silver-chasing position and have already bagged the Carabao Cup in Jurgen Klopp's swansong season, but Wednesday night's respective victories for the Reds' title rivals highlight the gravity of securing three points on each and every occasion.
This evening, Liverpool will welcome bottom-placed club Sheffield United to Anfield in a top-flight clash that must be a comprehensive win, a win that will take hosts back to the summit, two points ahead of Arsenal.
Klopp's men have been hit with a catalogue of injuries over the past few months but that storm is now showing signs of abating, key players are returning and the Merseyside outfit have indeed weathered a testing period.
Liverpool team news
Curtis Jones' nine-match injury layoff is set to end tonight, with the controlling midfielder set to be involved in the matchday squad, albeit unlikely to start.
Moreover, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate could be in line for starts after overcoming respective minor issues, though Konate in particular could be rested ahead of Sunday's pivotal showdown against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara's long-term injuries mean both veterans – out of contract in June – may not feature again this season, though Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Stefan Bajcetic are slated for a return to training next week, with goalkeeper Alisson not far behind.
Klopp also revealed in his pre-match press conference that holding midfielder Wataru Endo "got a knock" during Sunday's victory over Brighton & Hove Albion and will need to be assessed.
Why Szoboszlai must be dropped vs Sheffield United
With no disrespect to Sheffield United, Liverpool will expect to secure all three points at Anfield this evening and for this reason, it might be wise to take a prudent route and rest Endo ahead of the looming trip to Manchester.
Alexis Mac Allister has proved his quality in a more defensive midfield role, completing 88% of his passes and averaging 2.8 tackles and 5.7 successful duels per game in the top flight this term, and despite this Klopp might be convinced to rest Dominik Szoboszlai.
Szoboszlai is an energetic and influential midfielder with a ferocious right foot and a keen eye for a pass, so important for the club since joining in a £60m transfer from RB Leipzig last summer, but he's suffered with injuries recently and he too might be worth moving to the bench.
Matches played
24
Starts
22
Goals
3
Assists
2
Pass completion
87%
Shots per game
2.0
Key passes per game
1.7
Tackles per game
1.3
Duels won per game
3.6
Recoveries per game
6.0
Dribbles completed per game
0.9
Liverpool certainly have options. Harvey Elliott, 21 today, has been ever-so impressive recently and ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, with Szoboszlai listed as his second-most-comparable player.
Ryan Gravenberch returned from injury before the international break and could be in line for his first Premier League start since the depleted Reds beat Luton Town in February. Alternatively, Bobby Clark and James McConnell have been immense since bursting from the academy this year.
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Away from the midfield, Liverpool might also be convinced to ditch Conor Bradley, with the remarkable right-back talent rested too ahead of this weekend's meeting.
Conor Bradley should be ditched today
Luckily, Liverpool have a wealth of options at full-back, even with Alexander-Arnold still sidelined. Naturally, Joe Gomez would return to his favoured position on the right side of defence, having been brilliant this season as Klopp's new Mr. Versatile.
Robertson is in line for a start but even if the hosts opt to leave him on the bench against Sheffield United, Kostas Tsimikas is a reliable player and has bagged three assists from just 12 games in the Premier League this season.
Bradley, aged 20, is a staggering prospect and has taken to life in Liverpool's first-team with astounding ease; having won Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Season award in League One last year, he only broke into Liverpool's starting 11 with regularity in January, battling injuries throughout the prior months.
But crowned January's PFA Premier League Fans' Player of the Month, Bradley has been spectacular in Alexander-Arnold's absence and looks set for a rich career at the height of the European game.
To highlight just how dynamic and effective he is, the Northern Ireland international ranks among the top 10% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for tackles and the top 15 for blocks per 90.
It's quite the skill set, with talent scout Jacek Kulig even proclaiming him to have had an "11/10" breakthrough campaign, hailing him as "one of the biggest revelations" in Europe.
He's started Liverpool's past five Premier League matches and ran himself to the ground against Brighton, tasked with dealing with a deluge of breakaway Seagulls in the first half and winning a whopping 11 ground duels, also making four key passes and succeeding with four dribbles, as per Sofascore.
It's this elite athleticism and dynamism that will be key for the Reds against Manchester United – Bradley picked up an assist against the Red Devils in last month's incredible 4-3 FA Cup defeat – and Bradley must be rested ahead of a match that could define Liverpool's pursuit of the Premier League title.
Sheffield United have tools that could hurt Liverpool. They will attempt to soak up the pressure and lay waste to their imperious opposition, but Klopp has the tools and the tactical wherewithal to clinch a controlled victory.
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