Dejan Lovren is fit to start while Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane are set to return when Liverpool take on Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday.
Liverpool will be aiming to clinch top spot in Group E and book their place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 when they lock horns with Red Bull Salzburg at the Red Bull Arena on Tuesday night. And, Jurgen Klopp has greeted some good news ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
The Liverpool manager had been sweating over the fitness of Dejan Lovren heading into the midweek European fixture after the Croat had picked up a minor hamstring injury in the Reds’ 3-0 win over Bournemouth this past weekend. Lovren, though, has shrugged off the complaint and has been named in Liverpool’s 19-man travelling squad for Salzburg.
Lovren should, therefore, continue his central defensive partnership with Virgil van Dijk, with Andrew Robertson likely to retain his place on the left side of the Liverpool defence as well. On the opposite flank, Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to return after being given a bit of a breather last time out, while Alisson Becker is a certainty in goal.
Klopp had some more good news to report, with Georginio Wijnaldum fit and available after missing the Bournemouth game with a knock. But, while the Dutchman has travelled to Salzburg, the game has come too soon for Adam Lallana, who is also recovering from a minor knock. And, Klopp provided an update on the Englishman during his pre-match press conference.
“We had pretty much a free choice apart from Adam. Adam is not coming but will be back in training on Thursday. Under pressure we probably could have used him, but we didn’t want to make pressure. How I said, it’s a small thing.”
“It would have been maybe a risk or not [to consider Lallana against Salzburg], I’m not sure, but we decided to leave him at Melwood and then he can train with the team from Thursday on.He had a proper session today, will have a proper session tomorrow and then Thursday he can be with the team.”
Wijnaldum should return to the starting lineup against Red Bull Salzburg, with James Milner making way for him. Naby Keita and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, though, should keep hold of their places, with the former being particularly impressive in the comfortable win over Bournemouth.
Another player who was in fine form against the Cherries was Mohamed Salah, who is an automatic pick in the attacking trio. Salah is expected to be joined by Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in the final third, with Mane replacing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in Liverpool’s three-pronged attack.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson; Keita, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
