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Xabi Alonso confessed he got a few things wrong in Chelsea's defeat to Tottenham at the weekend. Fortunately for the Blues manager, he doesn't have to wait long to put it right.
Alonso's Chelsea side take on Liverpool at Anfield this evening, with the Spanish coach returning to a place he once called home. From 2004 until 2009, Alonso represented the Reds as a player before making the move to Real Madrid after half a decade on Merseyside.
It's a club Alonso still holds close to his heart but there will be no time for sentiment this evening as he looks to progress Chelsea into the fifth round of this season's Carabao Cup. However, he will have to do that without two of his key attackers in Cole Palmer (suspended) and Joao Pedro (thigh).
With that being said, football.london predicts the line-up Alonso might field in Liverpool.
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Emi Martinez remains sidelined following surgery on his fractured jaw. Penders deputised for Martinez on Saturday but the Belgian goalkeeper's full Premier League debut ended in heartbreak after he punched the ball into his own goal from a Tottenham corner. He will, though, be hoping to make amends with a big performance at Anfield tonight.
The Frenchman hasn't started a match since the defeat to Brentford last month but he could come back in for this one. Alonso might look to give his fringe players some much-needed minutes tonight with a Premier League clash with Manchester United less than 72 hours later.
Wesley Fofana hasn't started for Chelsea since the defeat to Brentford in September(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
Saying that, Alonso could keep some of his key players in the XI. Lacroix might be one of them as he looks to improve on what was a shaky performance over the weekend.
Similar could be said about Colwill. The Cobham graduate, once a target for Liverpool, has hardly been at his best this season. He is in need of a big performance sooner rather than later.
Chelsea supporters are desperate to see the Italian be given his first competitive start. Palestra is now fully fit after missing the first few weeks of the season through injury and he could be used at right wing-back this evening.
After an impressive start to the season, Lavia has been on the periphery in recent games. Jordan Henderson has been preferred to him but surely Alonso will rest the 36-year-old former Liverpool captain for Saturday's showdown with Man United. Lavia could replace Henderson, if that is the case.
Romeo Lavia's last start for Chelsea came against Hull City in September(Image: Pedro Porru/MB Media)
This is one of the most difficult positions to pick in the XI. You can make arguments for starting Caicedo, but you can also a couple for resting him. For the sake of this article, we have predicted Alonso to do the former with the midfield battle set to be crucial in Liverpool.
It seems Pep Chavarria isn't quite ready to return to the squad. Alonso could use Neto on the left side instead of Jorrel Hato. Neto seems to be one of the few players capable of playing three games in a week.
Surely, surely, surely Estevao starts this one. The Brazil international hasn't started a competitive game since early-September - the last round of this competition, incidentally - but he is expected to come in for the suspended Palmer.
Estevao Willian celebrates with his Chelsea teammates(Image: Richard Heathcote)
Like Neto, Rogers seems to be one of those three-game-a-week players. He wasn't at his best against Tottenham but he was asked to play a slightly unorthodox role. He could return to that left-sided No.10 position tonight.
Alonso didn't go for a like-for-like replacement for Joao Pedro against Tottenham and was heavily criticised for that decision. The Chelsea manager might be tempted to use Welbeck tonight. Emmanuel Emegha could be given some minutes off the bench.
Predicted Chelsea XI (3-4-3): Penders; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Palestra, Lavia, Caicedo, Neto; Estevao, Rogers, Welbeck