Arne Slot insists he has had no choice this season than to keep tinkering with his title-winning team as he defended the rate of change at Liverpool. The Reds have undergone a significant overhaul since lifting a record-equalling 20th championship last season with almost £450million worth of summer arrivals while a raft of established squad regulars have departed.

The situation has been exacerbated by a succession of injuries during the opening months of the campaign and a lack of proper pre-season for players such as £125m British record signing Alexander Isak, midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and right-back Conor Bradley.

Liverpool's inconsistent team selection contributed to a recent run of six defeats in seven games that ramped up the pressure on Slot before he opted to rely less on new signings in his starting line-up, resulting in successive home wins against Aston Villa in the Premier League and Real Madrid in the Champions League.