Liverpool are back to business in the Premier League on Sunday as they visit Southampton.

On paper, it could hardly be a better game for the Reds straight after the international break, with Saints bottom and Liverpool sitting top.

However, the Reds have come unstuck at St Mary’s in the not too distant past and will not be taking anything for granted.

For Arne Slot, he is going to have to juggle his Liverpool squad best he can once again, as big games continue to come thick and fast.

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And with Liverpool set to play Real Madrid and Man City within the next two weeks, Slot can afford to take no risks for Sunday’s game.

Following injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold just before the international break and with Virgil van Dijk being assessed for a ‘minor issue‘, it looks like Slot could be without two of his biggest stars.

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Obviously, if there are no worries over either Alexander-Arnold or Van Dijk, then they will both likely turn out against Southampton.

Despite the lowly nature of their opponents, Liverpool will still need to ensure three points heading into a difficult run of fixtures.

They need everyone available.

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However, journalist James Pearce has reported that Alexander-Arnold is facing a race against time to be ready for Sunday.

Couple that with the fact that Liverpool cannot afford to exacerbate any problem for Van Dijk, minor or not, and we think Slot is set to give both players some extra time off this weekend.

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Obviously, the bigger picture here is that as things stand, Liverpool will have to play every single game without both Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk from next season.

With contract issues not yet sorted for either player, Liverpool could be about to get a glimpse into their future at St Mary’s.

Thankfully, Mohamed Salah is fully fit, rested and ready to go.

The Reds don’t need to get the full picture.

It could yet be that Slot decides Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk are well enough to go again.

In which case, great.

It’s unlikely that the two will be rested in an otherwise strong Liverpool XI again in the near future, so we’d never have to see what it would be like without them both in ordinary circumstances.

But given their respective situations, we really do think the Liverpool head coach will choose to rest them both.

As a result of him being at the Liverpool training ground over the international break – and given his excellent displays when thrown in this season – Joe Gomez would surely come in for Van Dijk.

There’s no reason to change Ibrahima Konate either and a Konate, Gomez partnership does still look strong for Liverpool.

At right-back, Conor Bradley is fit again and in good form for Northern Ireland.

He would be the natural choice instead of Alexander-Arnold.