The monotonous drag that is the international break is at an end, and Liverpool supporters now await the fiery encounter that is the Merseyside derby, with Everton making the short journey to Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp's side were in the pits last season but have rekindled their former verve and now push for a spot in the Premier League title race, but will need to overcome an in-form Toffees side to get back to winning ways.
Having collected one point from two matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion, the Reds risk falling away from the forefront of the pack if Sean Dyche produces a disciplined display of resilience, but the hosts do have enough quality to secure a resounding victory.
What is the Liverpool team news vs Everton?
The shoulder injury sustained by Andy Robertson this week is set to rule him out of contention for the foreseeable future, with Spaniards Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara also confirmed absentees.
With the Scotland star sidelined until around January, Kostas Tsimikas will now deputise at left-back, having played just four minutes of Premier League action so far this season.
Cody Gakpo has been pictured in training after suffering a knee injury against Spurs three weeks ago, and could be in line to start after Darwin Nunez admitted to having felt cramp in South America earlier this week, after playing and scored for Uruguay against Brazil.
Diogo Jota does return from a one-match suspension, however, and could be in line to start against the Blues, having scored four goals from five starting appearances this term.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Curtis Jones, who completes his three-match ban after his contentious dismissal against Tottenham, and while the continuing absence reduces the options at Klopp's disposal, the German manager might be inclined to drop Alexis Mac Allister.
Should Klopp drop Alexis Mac Allister?
Mac Allister has divided opinion somewhat since joining from Brighton in a bargain £35m transfer in the summer, with the dynamic Argentinian midfielder fielded in a deeper-lying role than he perhaps prefers.
However, this is largely due to Liverpool's lack of reliable No. 6 options, and while he has been somewhat unspectacular, the 24-year-old has been something of an unsung hero in recharging a depleted midfield.
Indeed, as per Sofascore, he has completed 89% of his passes in the Premier League so far this term, making 2.8 tackles and ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 67% of his attempted dribbles.
Moreover, according to FBref, the £150k-per-week gem ranks among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for progressive carries and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
Multi-functional and selfless, he is crucial to the fluidity and progression of this Liverpool team, and usually, he would be among the first names on the team sheet for a high-energy match such as the Merseyside derby, but Klopp would be wise to learn from his past mistakes and relegate the midfielder to the bench this afternoon.
Indeed, after the first international break of the season, a depleted Mac Allister returned to England and started against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux during another early Saturday kick-off and was discernibly out of sorts.
Klopp hooked him early and claimed that "he was done", after clearly struggling after travelling across the globe following a relentless international schedule.
A repeat could be detrimental, and, as such, it might be time for Harvey Elliott to truly make his mark this season and dazzle, proving that he can fill in and produce first-class performances in pivotal clashes such as this one.
How good is Harvey Elliott?
Elliott has been a regular member of Klopp's matchday squad over the past few years, and while the Reds languished last season, the precocious youth earned 46 appearances across all competitions.
This season, Elliott has played nine times across all fronts but has only received one start in the Premier League, though was hooked at half-time in the recent draw against Brighton.
In light of the deluge of absences for the Anfield side of late, Klopp will surely be tempted to start his diminutive dynamo, who has recently excelled with England U21s, posting two goals and two assists from two matches.
His performance against Serbia led Paul Dalglish to dub him an “incredible talent”, which is certainly apt praise for one of England's brightest prospects.
As per FBref, the 20-year-old ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 5% for blocks per 90.
Evidently, the technical ability is there for a long and illustrious career on Merseyside, but having been "outmuscled" by opponents last season – as per writer Leanne Prescott – his physicality probably does still need some work.
The £40k-per-week starlet would be the perfect option to fill in for Mac Allister alongside the always-impressive Dominik Szoboszlai, perhaps with Wataru Endo or Ryan Gravenberch occupying the holding role just behind.
And after such emphatic exploits with England U21s, Klopp will be eager to capture the player's purple patch and channel his recent feats into Liverpool's team.
Elliott's quality has never been in question; right from the off, the rising star's faculty for creative ingenuity has been illuminated in bright light, but he has not quite combined the cogs to cement a starting berth under Klopp's wing so far.
He is improving though, and his promising early-season performances have been eclipsed by his displays as the midfield catalyst during the international break.
With Jones still suspended and Klopp likely to be wary of Mac Allister's fitness levels, it might be the perfect time to unleash Elliott – who could now make his mark at Anfield against Liverpool's acrimonious city rivals.