The fixture picture is shaping everything

Liverpool head into Tuesday night's Champions League encounter against Villarreal at Anfield with one eye already fixed firmly on Sunday's visit of Brighton. It is that kind of week. That kind of month. That kind of season, perhaps. Boss Andoni Iraola has already signalled that changes are coming, and nobody could reasonably argue with him given the relentless schedule his squad has been grinding through.

The broader context is encouraging, at least. Liverpool sit fifth in the Champions League league phase after winning their opening two fixtures, and with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona meeting each other on Tuesday night, a victory over Villarreal could send the Reds climbing even closer to the top two. There is real incentive here, rotation notwithstanding.

Who comes in and who gets a breather

Alisson Becker keeps his place between the sticks, and Virgil van Dijk is expected to continue at the heart of defence alongside Jeremy Jacquet. Ronald Araujo shifts to right-back, with Kostas Tsimikas the key change at left-back, coming in to give Milos Kerkez a well-earned rest ahead of the weekend.

In the middle of the park, Ryan Gravenberch returns after suspension to slot back alongside Alexis Mac Allister at the base, with Florian Wirtz again operating as the number 10. There is broad agreement there. Up front, Cody Gakpo comes back into the starting side, and Rio Ngumoha gets the nod on the right. Bradley Barcola, who has featured heavily in recent weeks, is likely to drop to the bench. Whether Alexander Isak leads the line or Gakpo pushes centrally is the one area where opinion genuinely differs.

The debate that hasn't quite settled

The main point of contention among those assessing the likely XI is the centre-back pairing. Two of the three predicted line-ups keep Jacquet alongside Van Dijk, while a third sees Joe Gomez drafted in to offer Jacquet his night off. Given the physical demands of Liverpool's recent run, it would not be a surprise to see Iraola use this match to rest a couple of those who featured most heavily at Brentford on Saturday.

The formation is a settled 4-2-3-1 across all three predicted XIs, which tells you something about how Iraola has set his side up in recent weeks. The shape is not in doubt. It is simply a question of which bodies fill it, and with the squad stretched as thin as it currently is, every call the manager makes between now and Sunday will be taken with Brighton already in mind.

What to watch for on the night

Gravenberch's return adds genuine quality and composure to the midfield base, and his presence alongside Mac Allister should give Liverpool a bit more control in the middle third. Ngumoha getting another opportunity on the right is worth watching too, a young player who continues to earn his minutes under Iraola's careful management.

This is a side that, whisper it, has been quietly building some momentum. Injuries have complicated things, as they always do at this stage of a congested campaign, but the Reds have a chance on Tuesday to put themselves in a very strong position in Europe before the week is out. Three points at Anfield tonight, and suddenly Sunday's clash with Brighton carries a very different kind of energy.