Jurgen Klopp, still searching for his first silverware as Liverpool boss, intends to shuffle the pack tomorrow night but not too violently.
The reds get their League Cup campaign underway on Wednesday night, in the first of two games in four days against the men from Stamford Bridge.
Part A, the Anfield 3rd round cup clash, will feature players handed rare outings for both sides. Klopp today confirmed that Simon Mignolet will be named in the starting eleven.
Dejan Lovren 'looks ready' and Dominic Solanke could also find himself involved as part of a front three rotation.
"Simon will start, all the rest you have to wait until tomorrow – but it will be a good team, believe me.
“It will be a very good side that we will line up tomorrow.
“I don’t think I will get any information until tomorrow about the line-up of Chelsea. So, why should I give any (about my team)? We are really competitive, and we really want to win the game.
“One change I have already confirmed, so it cannot be nil changes, and it will for sure not be 11.
A run all the way to the final would consist of 6 fixtures - the same as in the group stage as the Champions League - and it does represent a significant opportunity for Klopp approaching his 3rd year anniversary at the club.
Especially given victory would result in eliminating a dangerous Chelsea from the competition.
Liverpool have history with this competition. A record 8 times winners and a record 12 appearances in the final.
It is also the last trophy that the club won. That was a shocking 7 seasons ago. Liverpool's longest period without a trophy since the middle of the last century. Only one of the last 4 LFC managers having landed a club prize - Kenny Dalglish during his brief 18 month return to the hot-seat.
Klopp appears on board with a serious attempt at the competition.
“It is a competition we like. We’ve shown that, especially in my first season. It’s a difficult draw for both teams and it’s not that you think in the first two or three rounds you go through somehow and then in the semis it starts getting exciting.
“Now we want to show that we are ready for that as well. It’s a home game, floodlights, I like it - against a very strong side, so it will be really interesting.
“It’s not about the other three competitions tomorrow night. It is one competition we have to play, not four, so that’s how we will take it; with all concentration, with all focus, with all intensity. It’s a normal game, people are coming to the stadium, so what you need is all there, so let’s exactly do it like that.”
And what of facing Chelsea twice this week?
"First of all, we should completely ignore the game on Saturday because this is nothing to do with that.
"It is a completely different competition and a coincidence that we play them again in a few days.
"Whoever we would have played tomorrow night, after the game we would only then start to prepare for the one on Saturday – and that’s exactly how we do it now. In the moment, we only think only about tomorrow night.
Liverpool welcome Chelsea to Anfield tomorrow night. Kick off is at 7:45 p.m BST.
