Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabinho are set to return when Liverpool welcome Genk to Anfield in a UEFA Champions League Group E tie.
Liverpool will be hoping to continue their winning momentum in the UEFA Champions League when they play hosts to Genk at Anfield on Tuesday night. And, Jurgen Klopp does not have any fresh injury concerns to deal with before his side’s latest European fixture.
During his pre-match press conference, the Liverpool boss iterated that Joel Matip (knee), Xherdan Shaqiri (calf) and Nathaniel Clyne (knee) remain the only absentees ahead of the visit of Genk and that there is nothing new to report on the team news front.
“I think [it’s] pretty much as we looked before the last game [against] Aston Villa, nothing really changed. Nobody told me anything. Yesterday in training everybody could do what he had to do, but in this period of the year we know things can happen overnight [but] no, nothing [new] that I know. Everything should be fine.”
Klopp, though suggested that he could make a couple of rotations when his side takes on Genk, perhaps with one eye on the big Premier League clash against Manchester City this weekend.
“We will hopefully have a couple of fresh legs in. It’s clear that we want that, but it’s not like we will do so many changes that you cannot recognise our team anymore and think, ‘Who is that?’ But it’s all about having the best formation for this game, nothing else. It was always like this and will always be like this.”
No changes are expected in defence, especially with only five recognised defenders being at the disposal of Klopp. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson and Dejan Lovren will, therefore, line up in the Liverpool back four, with Alisson taking his place in goal.
The shuffles are likely to take place in midfield, with Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson expected to be rested. In Henderson’s stead, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should start. Oxlade-Chamberlain was the game changer in the 4-1 win over Genk in the reverse fixture and he will have a point to prove again.
Fabinho is also set to return after being preserved last time out against Aston Villa, with Georginio Wijnaldum retaining his place in the side. Fabinho will be the Anchor Man in front of defence, with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wijnaldum being the box-to-box midfielders.
Upfront, the first-choice three-pronged attack is unlikely to be tinkered with, so as to get the result quickly first. Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane should, thus, start, with former Genk man Divock Origi starting on the bench.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
