Liverpoolvs.Chelsea

Arne Slot has made a terrific start to life at Anfield, the Merseyside giants sitting at the top of the Premier League table after seven matches.

Furthermore, they have posted Champions League victories over AC Milan and Bologna respectively, but their one blip came after the international fixtures in September.

Despite having home advantage against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool succumbed to a 1-0 defeat courtesy of Callum Hudson-Odoi's second-half strike.

Slot may feel that lessons need to learned from that disappointing showing, which was perhaps owing to the efforts of his players when representing their nations.

However, coupled with facing Chelsea on a Sunday rather than a Saturday, Liverpool have received a timely boost ahead of what could prove to be one of their toughest games of the season so far.

Three players make early returns

Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah have all made an early return to club duties having previously been in line to be away until early next week.

While representing Netherlands against Hungary on Friday night, Van Dijk was sent off and will subsequently serve a one-match suspension for Oranje.

Jones was a late call-up to the England squad for Thursday's game with Greece, but the midfielder has been allowed to leave the Three Lions camp due to a personal commitment.

Meanwhile, Salah had been due to play for Egypt as late as Tuesday in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away in Mauritania.

Instead, his national team have made the decision to take no risks with his fitness due to the game taking place on an artificial pitch.

What other players are away?

Despite that triple boost, Slot will still welcome a wide array of players back during the middle of next week.

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is away with Republic of Ireland ahead of likely deputising for the injured Alisson Becker between the sticks.

England's Trent Alexander-Arnold, France's Ibrahima Konate, Scotland's Andrew Robertson and Hungary's Dominik Szoboszlai also fall into the same bracket ahead of likely starts versus Chelsea.

Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo remain away with Netherlands, Diogo Jota is with Portugal and Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz are representing Argentina and Colombia respectively.