With Liverpool now having just one game a week until the Premier League ends on May 25, Arne Slot has plenty of time on the training pitch with his players as he plots a way to wrap up a 20th domestic title as quickly as possible.
The Reds need just 11 points from 21 available to ensure it is their name on the trophy and it may even be less as second-place Arsenal continue to juggle both domestic and Champions League duty.
Mikel Arteta's team selection at Everton on Saturday was a hint that the Gunners now view their two-legged tie with Real Madrid as more important than attempting to reel in Slot's league leaders and it's unlikely Liverpool will be following suit with sweeping changes for the remainder of the campaign given what is now a relatively sparse fixture list.
But how might Slot line up when he bids to whittle down the figure into single digits when West Ham United visit Anfield on Sunday afternoon?
Alisson Becker might reasonably be expected to feature a week on from failing to make the cut for Fulham. The Brazil international suffered a concussion in the first of two fixtures during the international break, clashing with Colombia's Davinson Sanchez before sitting out a 4-1 smiting at the hands of arch-rivals Argentina.
Alisson failed to tick the final box of the concussion protocols that would have allowed him to resume action against Everton on Wednesday before once more sitting out the defeat to Fulham, with Slot saying: "There’s a week to go [until the next match] so that gives us a bit of time.
“But you know as Liverpool we always follow the protocol in moments like this when it’s a concussion. If you haven’t ticked all the boxes, he can’t be in goal. He wants it a lot but the protocol is the protocol.”
If cleared, Alisson will return for the run-in. The former Roma goalkeeper has suffered availability issues for the last two seasons on and off and has been blighted with a handful of muscle injuries but he remains one of the finest in his position across world football.
It will be interesting to see what Slot does at right-back. Conor Bradley was one of few players who emerged from Fulham with credit and after making his return after around seven weeks out with a hamstring complaint and the Northern Ireland international is a serious option going forward.
The Reds boss, though, will be wary of overextending a young player with a bright future, particularly one who has already succumbed to a number of muscle issues in his fledgling career. It's an important issue for Slot to get right as he juggles the thinking over the short and long-term at right-back.
If Slot believes Bradley is not yet at 100% then Curtis Jones is likely to get the nod over Jarell Quansah as Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to battle back to full fitness after his ankle injury against Paris Saint-Germain.
Is there potential for Kostas Tsimikas to start ahead of Andy Robertson on the opposite flank? The Scotland captain endured something of a nightmare first half at Craven Cottage and was culpable for the second goal in particular. The battle between the two defenders has been won comprehensively by Robertson in recent months but this might be an opportunity for the Greek international. Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk are almost certain to continue their partnership in the centre, despite both having a wobble or two in west London.
In midfield, Slot has tended not to rotate with only Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah featuring more than Ryan Gravenberch. Alexis Mac Allister, the Dutchman's engine-room partner, has played one fewer in 30, with the Argentina international missing for December's draw with Fulham through suspension.
Does Dominik Szoboszlai get a rest? The Hungary captain invariably gets through more running than most in the Liverpool team with his high-energy, all-action style and it was notable how little he was able to influence proceedings at Fulham prior to his withdrawal. This feels like an opportunity to give him a breather but the question is who replaces him?
If Jones starts at right-back then Harvey Elliott is best equipped to fill in, should it be deemed that Szoboszlai could use some time on the bench. A first Premier League start of the season for Wataru Endo feels like a prospect that is less likely at this stage.
Up top, Luis Diaz's enterprising, goalscoring cameo off the bench on Sunday means he has given extra food for thought on the left side of the attack, particularly given the paucity of Cody Gakpo's display on Sunday. The Netherlands star failed to grasp the nettle on his first start since February's Merseyside derby, meaning Diaz should slot back in if the manager is basing his decision on the game alone.
There is, however, a debate for potentially starting Diaz centrally given the struggles of Diogo Jota at Fulham. After his Merseyside derby heroics, the Portugal international was more subdued in London and was denied the one real opportunity that came his way by goalkeeper Bernd Leno. What would be just a second Premier League start of the calendar year feels less likely for Darwin Nunez, whose contributions have become less and less impactful as the season has worn on.
Mohamed Salah will, of course, be given the chance to play his way out of what is his first real dip in form this season. The Egyptian has been quiet in recent weeks but has ample credit in the bank with his 32 goals across all competitions to be given the opportunity to play himself back into form at an important time.
