Liverpool return to Europa League action to take on Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise at Anfield tonight, after seeing their unbeaten start to the season cruelly ended with defeat in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur.
Ange Postecoglou's Spurs capitalised on two contentious Liverpool red cards in London on Saturday evening to leapfrog them in the league table, while also benefitting from a high-profile officiating calamity as Luis Diaz's superb goal was incorrectly chalked out for offside.
Regardless, Jurgen Klopp was delighted with the gallant performance of his squad, who look miles above the woeful squad of last season that languished to a fifth-placed finish and squandered the prospect of playing in the Champions League this season.
It stung alright, but the loss must now be used as a launchpad to secure success, continuing to challenge for the title and advance through the domestic and continental competitions the Reds are involved in. In the Europa League, the German manager has a glorious opportunity to win the elusive piece of silverware that has evaded him during his Merseyside reign.
Before this season, Liverpool had last played in Europe's second-most continental competition in 2016/17, impressing and reaching the final but losing to Sevilla, who claimed the trophy for the third season in succession.
Victory is to be expected against USG, though they do currently top the Belgian Pro League after nine matches and boast enough firepower to inflict damage on a Liverpool defence that has only kept one clean sheet from nine matches this term.
What's the latest Liverpool team news?
Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota are both eligible to play tonight as their respective bans do not spill into continental competition, but Cody Gakpo will be sidelined after injuring his knee against Spurs last weekend.
Thiago Alcantara is still yet to make his maiden appearance of the campaign as he continues to rehabilitate from injury, and Thursday's match comes too soon for his availability; likewise, his compatriot Stefan Bajcetic is a fitness doubt.
However, Trent Alexander-Arnold could be poised to make his first start for Liverpool since captaining his side to a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa over one month ago, having recovered from a hamstring problem to feature from the bench on Saturday.
As far as squad selection goes, Klopp will probably be inclined to make widespread changes as he did for the win over LASK in Austria two weeks ago, with a daunting Premier League clash away to Brighton & Hove Albion awaiting at the weekend.
Will Darwin Nunez start against Union Saint-Gilloise?
One player who is likely to start both upcoming clashes this week is Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez, with the Anfield side's club-record signing not featuring at the weekend due to complications from the double red cards.
He has been in fine fettle this season though, scoring four goals and supplying two assists from eight matches across all competitions – starting just three times.
Darwin Nunez Strengths & Weaknesses (via WhoScored)
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Weaknesses
Finishing
Offside awareness
Headed attempts
Crossing
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Defensive contribution
Praised for his "razor-sharp" performances by Sky Sports commentator Peter Drury, the 24-year-old is making improvements from last season, where his wayward finishing and questionable decision-making left him a schismatic figure at the club, undeniably talented but indisputably unrefined.
With Gakpo, who was firing himself into form, now out for the count, Nunez is presented with a fine chance to exhibit his skills and provide the firepower to align with Klopp's ambitious goals: pushing for titles across all fronts.
As per FBref, the £140k-per-week machine ranks among the top 11% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 15% for assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 2% for touches in the attacking box per 90.
It's impressive stuff for a player who has been so polarising over the past year, and there is every possibility that he will continue to make progress in his game and cement himself as one of the most formidable forces in European football.
Against USG, he can indeed implement such attributes to wreak havoc, and must do so to pump confidence back into a side seeking a route back to winning ways.
Should Liverpool unleash Diogo Jota tonight?
While Nunez will surely start, another man who could and must play a starring role is Jota, whose quickfire yellow cards at the weekend caused Liverpool further agony as they lost a second man against a fluid and fast-rising Lilywhites side.
It was a poor, poor decision, and whatever the noise surrounding his controversial first booking, he should never have lunged in moments later at a time Klopp called for composure.
While he will be unavailable against the Seagulls, he can play tonight and could provide the dynamism and incisiveness to boost Liverpool's chances and restore his own confidence.
The £140k-per-week Portugal phenom has popped up with some big goals already this term, scoring three times and being praised for his "quality" finishing by The Athletic's James Pearce.
Jota is also heralded as a "pressing monster" across his club's frontline – as has been said by assistant coach Pep Lijnders – and offers a kind of multi-functional prowess that most forwards can only dream of.
He ranks among the top 2% of positional peers for goals and the top 1% for assists per 90, which say everything about his destructive capabilities as the Liverpool spearhead, and at a time where the Reds need to shake off the injuries suffered last time out, he will offer security in the offensive flow.
Klopp must provide Jota with the chance to redeem himself after his troubles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the weekend, and while the Reds will be confident of victory, deploying such a talented sharpshooting maverick will only enhance their chances considerably.