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Jurgen Klopp confirmed Andy Robertson will require surgery but his South American quartet made it back from international duty safely

Liverpool welcomed the safe return of their South American quartet following international duty, however it was Scotland’s Andy Robertson who has come back from the break with a shoulder injury.

Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday in his pre-Merseyside derby press conference that Robertson will require surgery and faces an extended spell on the sidelines.

Kostas Tsimikas is the obvious solution to the Robertson problem, ensuring the Greek defender is set for a run of starts in the first-team

. Elsewhere in defence, Joel Matip is a prime candidate to retain his starting space alongside Virgil van Dijk due to no longer having to contend with the demands of international football.

After catching the eye with his performances during a productive pre-season, Calum Scanlon was with his first more established colleagues at the AXA Centre on Thursday and could make his senior debut – even if he comes off the bench.

With Diaz and Nunez perhaps settling for places on the bench, our writers have their say on their own starting XI.

Paul Gorst

No Andy Robertson will mean a start for Kostas Tsimikas as the Greek defender begins the biggest challenge of his Liverpool career to date by trying to ensure his colleague’s absence is not keenly felt in the coming months.

Ibrahima Konate can return for me at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk and the club’s reogranising to get the South American contingent back earlier could be an inspired move.

In midfield, I’m going for Alexis Mac Allister at the base with a start for Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, who has made himself an automatic starter already during his short time.

Up top, it’s Darwin Nunez down the middle, Mo Salah on the right and Luis Diaz on the left. Diogo Jota can wait in the wings.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.

Theo Squires

Andy Robertson has started every Premier League Merseyside derby at Anfield, playing every minute along the way, since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2017. But a dislocated shoulder ensures that his run will come to an end this weekend.

Consequently, Jurgen Klopp has a big decision to make regarding who replaces the Scotland captain. And while Kostas Tsimikas is the likely front-runner, I’d actually opt for Joe Gomez instead with the defender perhaps better-suited to the Reds’ hybrid formation that frees up Trent Alexander-Arnold to push into midfield. Meanwhile Ibrahima Konate can partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.

Alexis Mac Allister retains his position in midfield, in the hope he enjoys a much more successful afternoon than he did when substituted in Liverpool’s last post-international break 12.30pm kick-off against Wolves.

Dominik Szoboszlai is certain to start, while Ryan Gravenberch can make his full Premier League debut to complete the trio.

Darwin Nunez is a man in form so starts in attack, with Cody Gakpo only fit enough for a place on the bench.

Mohamed Salah is on the right, but preferring not to start all returning South American internationals, Diogo Jota gets the nod on the left ahead of Luis Diaz.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Nunez, Jota.