Liverpool will be looking to make it three wins out of three in this season’s Champions League when they take on Villarreal at Anfield on Tuesday.

The Reds are also aiming to go three for three in successive matches as they bounce back from defeat to Manchester City in impressive fashion.

Defence – Kerkez makes way for Tsimikas

There could be a temptation from Iraola to start Giorgi Mamardashvili here, as we get to the kind of period in which Alisson Becker sometimes picks up an injury. While there is an argument for load management, though, we think the Brazilian will go again here.

Ronald Araujo got an unexpected break on Saturday as a result of Brentford’s red card, coming off for Jeremie Frimpong to give Liverpool more attacking thrust. Araujo has played a lot recently, but he should be fine to go again here.

Jeremy Jacquet may need protecting a little more, however, and with Joe Gomez now fit and available, the Englishman should get his second start of the campaign on Tuesday. Having sat out of the last Champions League match against LASK, Virgil van Dijk should also return here.

Left-back is a bit more of a dilemma. Milos Kerkez has been poor recently, and after the Hungary international delivered another poor outing at Brentford, Kostas Tsimikas should be given the chance to build on his two-assist display against LASK.

Midfield – New role for Mac Allister

After his gamble with Szoboszlai backfired at the weekend, Iraola does not have loads of options in midfield going into this tough run of fixtures every three or four days.

Nevertheless, he does have Ryan Gravenberch back for this one, and the Dutchman is a certain starter after sitting out of the weekend win.

Trey Nyoni should have been the player to benefit from Szoboszlai’s injury initially, and the 19-year-old should belatedly get another start alongside Gravenberch.

In attacking midfield, Iraola needs to be careful with Florian Wirtz, who has played back-to-back 90 minutes and will be needed against Brighton on Sunday. Without Szoboszlai as well, that could mean Alexis Mac Allister is pushed higher up the pitch into the No. 10 role. James McConnell is another option, but Mac Allister would be our choice.

Attack – Koumas comes back in for Isak

Liverpool were delighted to have Alexander Isak back fit and scoring against Brentford, but the Swede is unlikely to be involved in this one, at least not from the start.

That should see Lewis Koumas restored to the starting line-up as he goes for another Champions League goal.

There is a chance that Cody Gakpo starts having been named on the bench on Saturday, but both Rio Ngumoha and Victor Munoz deserve to play after being two of Liverpool’s game-changers against Brentford.

Ngumoha is getting much better on the right, and that’s where he should play again, while that means Munoz gets a run out on the left.