Jurgen Klopp placed his faith in Darwin Nunez and young duo Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho for their Merseyside derby showdown against Everton at Goodison Park.
The German had hinted that Uruguayan summer signing Nunez, suspended in their last three games following his dismissal against Crystal Palace, would return to the lineup for the clash with Frank Lampard's men in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
The eyes of Premier League defenders would have lit up when they saw how easily the 23-year-old was triggered by Joachim Andersen during the draw with Palace in August, but Klopp insisted he had no worries throwing the big-money striker straight back in, in the red hot atmosphere against the Toffees.
“Our ideas and how we want to think in these situations is that we pay back with football, and that is how it is,” he said. “If Darwin plays then he has to be ready for these things, definitely, that is clear, but when a player is talking to you a lot or is really physical, then he is not in his own game, and he (Nunez) has to use these kind of moments as well.
“If the other one is too busy wanting to distract him, you just have to use it from a football point of view.
“For the Crystal Palace game, when the defender is searching for this constant contact, then go from there and you decide when you start the movement, these kind of things.
“He is a wonderful young man, honestly, but he has emotions as well."
The biggest eye-raising decision however saw the Kop boss name BOTH Elliott and Carvalho in the heart of his Reds midfield, the latter getting the nod over James Milner.
Elliott has impressed with his early season performances in the central triumvirate, having now fully recovered from a serious ankle injury.
But summer signing Carvalho has only been used as a substitute in the opening month of the campaign, and in a variety of roles. He made quite the splash on Wednesday night however, scoring the 98th minute winner against Newcastle United at Anfield.
Rio Ferdinand declared: "Keeping Carvalho in the team is a big statement. He was the reason, he was the one who got the all important goal."
Against an Everton side without a win, Klopp was banking on the creative young pair to give his side greater attacking impetus from deep, backed up in midfield by experienced Brazilian Fabinho. New signing Arthur and the returning Diogo Jota were both named among the substitutes.
For Everton, Neal Maupay started in attack for the first time following his switch from Brighton.
Everton Starting XI: Pickford, Patterson, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Davies, Onana, Iwobi, Gray, Gordon, Maupay
Liverpool Starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Elliott, Carvalho; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
