Thiago and Fabinho are set to return, but Mohamed Salah is unavailable after testing positive for the coronavirus ahead of Liverpool’s game with Leicester City on Sunday.
Liverpool will hope to return to winning ways when they play hosts to Leicester City at Anfield on Sunday night. And, Jurgen Klopp has a plethora of issues within his squad ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
The Liverpool head coach was already bereft of the services of Virgil van Dijk due to a potential season-ending knee injury. The Dutchman has now been joined on the sidelines by centre-back partner Joe Gomez, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is also unavailable due to a calf injury he picked up ahead of the international break.
That leaves Liverpool with Andrew Robertson as the only first-choice defender available. The Scot should start on the left side of the defence, with Joel Matip and Nat Phillips likely to pair up in the centre. Neco Williams will deputise for Alexander-Arnold, with Alisson Becker in goal.
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Klopp greets further bad news in midfield and attack, with Jordan Henderson also missing out for Liverpool against Leicester due to a niggle he sustained while on England duty. Meanwhile, star forward Mohamed Salah is unavailable after testing positive for the coronavirus this week.
There is some good news, though, with Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara returning to training and in contention to feature against Leicester. Klopp provided an update on each of his roster issue during his pre-match press conference.
The Liverpool boss said, “What we make of that, we will see because I don’t know yet how he [Fabinho] reacts and all that stuff. Hendo not [available] and Trent not, that’s clear. All the rest we will see. They are in a good way, Ox [is] in a good way. They are all closer but we will see if it is close enough for the weekend.”
Thiago should return to the starting lineup, with Curtis Jones likely to start if the Spaniard cannot. Fabinho ought to sit at the base of Liverpool’s three-man midfield, with Georginio Wijnaldum and Thiago sitting alongside him in the middle of the park.
Klopp also talked about Salah during his presser, saying, “We are obviously in close contact with him all of the time and, how it always is in these cases, in the moment when you have a negative [COVID-19] test then the process really starts. He’s in a good place, he feels well, no symptoms, so that is all fine.”
Salah’s absence will force a change in formation from the 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3, with Sadio Mane starting on the right flank in his stead. Roberto Firmino will return in his favoured False Nine role, with Diogo Jota keeping his place on the left flank.
Liverpool Predicted XI: Alisson; Neco Williams, Matip, Phillips, Robertson; Thiago, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Mane, Firmino, Jota
Milner for Neco and we are good to go. YNWA!!