Our Liverpool writers select their line-ups for tonight’s crunch Champions League clash away to Eintracht Frankfurt
11:32, 22 Oct 2025Updated 12:04, 22 Oct 2025
Theo Squires was appointed Liverpool FC Writer for the Liverpool ECHO in 2021, after covering EURO 2020 at Wembley as England reached their first major men’s final since 1966. A senior football journalist, Theo joined the ECHO’s sports team from Bolton Wanderers in 2018, having previously spent four seasons in the former Premier League side’s communications team where he ran the club’s website and social media channels.
A regular in the Anfield press box since joining the ECHO, since being promoted to Liverpool FC Writer, Theo has reported on Jurgen Klopp’s side as they won the FA Cup and League Cup at Wembley, and competed in the 2022 Champions League final in Paris. A regular on the Blood Red podcast, Theo has also conducted a number of exclusive interviews during his time with the ECHO, speaking to the likes of Roger Hunt, Nicolas Anelka, and Alberto Aquilani.
Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Alexis Mac Allister could find themselves on the bench in the Champions League again for Liverpool tonight (Image: YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images)
When you have a squad as big and as talented as Liverpool’s, Arne Slot’s line-ups are always anticipated. But with his side in danger of suffering an unwanted piece of club history, the team the Reds boss picks for this evening’s Champions League clash at Eintracht Frankfurt is particularly intriguing.
While there is no doubting the quality at Slot‘s disposal, so many of his men are out of form. So much so that there have been calls to drop huge players like talisman Mohamed Salah and £125m British transfer record signing Alexander Isak.
Whatever team the Dutchman goes with, it is imperative Liverpool, at the very least, avoid a fifth straight defeat, which would represent the worst losing run in the club’s history since 1953.
READ MORE: Thomas Frank agrees with Arne Slot over Florian Wirtz as Tottenham comparison madeREAD MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai reveals Liverpool meetings over form and sends strong vow
So what XI should Slot select? Our Reds writers have their say…
Paul Gorst
Arne Slot still looks no closer to finding his best line-up but having invested so much in big-money attackers, it’s time to give Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak some real time together on the pitch, starting tonight.
Might this be a good one to rest Mohamed Salah ahead of Brentford at the weekend? The Egyptian has had a troubled start to the season and getting him firing again in the Premier League means dropping him out for this might aid that.
Jeremie Frimpong and Andy Robertson take up the full-back spots. Conor Bradley doesn’t look fit and Milos Kerkez is having a tough time at the moment.
Curtis Jones replaces Ryan Gravenberch in midfield and Alexis Mac Allister is dropped for Dominik Szoboszlai, who starts in the centre. In an ideal world the Hungarian won’t have to go right-back to shoehorn in some uber-attacking change of system to rescue the game.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Szoboszlai; Ekitike, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.
Ian Doyle
Liverpool finally turned up in Germany late on Tuesday evening for their latest Champions League clash.
But the Reds are going to have to be at it from the off against Eintracht Frankfurt in what is likely to be a lively old atmosphere.
What, then, is Liverpool boss Arne Slot to do?
Having lost four in a row, it’s time to start rewarding players for their form. And that means plenty of changes to the starting line-up.
Not in goal, though. That’s Giorgi Mamardashvili. But I’d have Joe Gomez in at right-back and Andy Robertson at left-back, with Ibrahima Konate still partnering skipper Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.
In midfield, more alterations. In comes Curtis Jones on the left of the double pivot alongside Dominik Szoboszlai, while Florian Wirtz is the number 10.
And up top, Jeremie Frimpong is on the right and Cody Gakpo the left, with Hugo Ekitike leading the line against his former club.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Jones; Frimpong, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Theo Squires
Arne Slot will have to make at least one change against Eintracht Frankfurt with Ryan Gravenberch ruled out. But I’d expect to see a number of changes in a bid to end Liverpool’s losing run.
Curtis Jones comes into the midfield to replace the injured Gravenberch, with Dominik Szoboszlai dropping into a deeper role alongside him.
Florian Wirtz returns to the starting XI as a result, with Alexis Mac Allister limited to substitute duty. Fingers crossed a return to Germany can kick-start the former Bayer Leverkusen man’s Reds career.
I’d go all-change at full-back with Andy Robertson given the nod at left-back over the out-of-form Milos Kerkez. If he passes the audition, he can keep his place going forward too. Meanwhile, Jeremie Frimpong can start at right-back.
Hugo Ekitike comes in upfront against his former club as Alexander Isak makes way. And I’m benching Mohamed Salah too as his poor form continues.
Let’s see what Federico Chiesa can do from the start instead after another lively showing off the bench against Manchester United.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Szoboszlai; Chiesa, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Mark Jones
Drastic times calling for drastic measures? It’s maybe not quite that bad just yet, so let’s go for worrying times calling for… extreme ones?
Dropping Mo Salah can’t really be called that either given he was left out of the XI for the previous Champions League away game, and there is a world where even a fit and firing Salah would start on the bench for this one given the tight turnaround to Saturday’s trip to Brentford.
I feel like the whole focal point of the attack needs to change, though, and so as well as dropping Salah I’d rest Cody Gakpo and start Hugo Ekitike off the left against his old club, with Alexander Isak central. Let’s see what havoc they can cause together after we briefly saw it against Manchester United.
To balance that out I’d have Jeremie Frimpong stationed high and wide and hugging the touchline on the right, and Florian Wirtz as the No.10 drifting to the left.
There’ll be no Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister will still be feeling the after-effects of Sunday, so I’d pick Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield.
Back four and goalkeeper all the same bar Andy Robertson for Milos Kerkez. It just has to happen now, surely.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Szoboszlai; Frimpong, Wirtz, Ekitike; Isak.
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Liverpool continue their UEFA Champions League campaign as they face Eintracht Frankfurt on October 22. Fans can watch the game on the TNT Sports Prime Video channel.