Predicted Liverpool lineup vs Real Madrid: SHOCK Diaz call and key star RETURNS

Liverpool will host the 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday in what is set to be a box office clash.

Having won all four of their matches in Europe so far, including Leverkusen's humiliating 4-0 drumming on Merseyside in the Reds' last outing in the competition, Arne Slot will be hoping Liverpool can finally get revenge over Real Madrid to continue his side's astonishing form.

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While a huge title clash against Manchester City at the weekend lingers in the distance, which Liverpool will be desperate to win to go 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League, Slot will be firmly focused on getting one over the Spanish giants.

Here is our predicted lineup for Liverpool vs Real Madrid at Anfield.

Defence

Caoimhin Kelleher will continue his stint in goal, while Alisson continues to recover from the injury he picked up in October.

Trent Alexander-Arnold remains unavailable after picking up an injury against Aston Villa, but he was pictured in training on Tuesday afternoon. In his press conference ahead of the game, Slot made clear that Trent is on the road to recovery, but this week's midweek clash will come too soon for him, so Conor Bradley will take the reigns at right-back again.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have been one of the standout defensive duos in Europe once again this season, conceding just 12 goals in Liverpool's 17 matches so far. Both will need to be at their dominant best against French forward Kylian Mbappe.

Kostas Tsimikas will be forced to miss this game after turning his ankle in training, so Andy Robertson will remain at left-back, despite the Scottish captain's mixed form as of late.

Liverpool's best midfield

Ryan Gravenberch has quickly become a mainstay in Arne Slot's Liverpool side this season, and the Dutchman is set to trust his fellow countryman once again to run the midfield.

His midfield partners however have been constantly changed around. Against Southampton, Curtis Jones was favoured over Alexis Mac Alister, who had a long trip back from South America following the international break. With the Argentine now fully rested, he comes back in all guns blazing.

Harvey Elliott has been pictured in training over the past few weeks, but following a substantial amount of time away from the game, his reintegration will be gradual. For a team of the standard of Real Madrid, it will be either Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai given the nod.

Following his goal against Southampton, playing a position he is trying to make his own in attacking midfield, it is likely that Szoboszlai will be picked to head the most complete midfield Liverpool have available to them.

The front three

Following some time off during the international break, Mohamed Salah continued his spectacular season with two massive goals to help Liverpool overcome Southampton. His role in this game is absolutely massive.

Likewise with Mac Allister, Luis Diaz had to endure a long trip back to Liverpool after his international duty in South America, so his involvement last weekend was limited. He will be needed at his electric best on the left wing.

Cody Gakpo did little wrong against Southampton, he was arguably Liverpool's best attacking asset for the most part. However, his expertise is going to be needed off the bench against Madrid should the team struggle to make any early breakthroughs.

Darwin Nunez struggled against the deep block last weekend, while probably feeling the effects of his long return from Uruguay in the week prior. But he will be raring to go on Wednesday, hoping to deliver a similarly emphatic finish to the one he scored when Madrid last visited Anfield.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kelleher, Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Nunez, Diaz

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