AC MILAN VS LIVERPOOL: PREDICTED LINEUP

Liverpool make the trip to San Siro tonight to take on Stefano Pioli’s Milan outfit. The Reds are already through as group B winners whilst Milan lie 3rd, a point behind Porto and level with Atletico Madrid. We take a look at how Jürgen Klopp could line his team up for the encounter.

You can find a preview of the game here:

https://made4liverpool.com/2021/12/06/ac-milan-vs-liverpool-preview/

With the manager confirming the need for rotation, we are likely to see a much changed side tonight. Van Dijk, Henderson, Thiago and Jota were all not pictured arriving with the squad in Milan last night, whilst youngsters Tyler Morton, Harvey Davies, Conor Bradley and Elijah Dixon-Bonner made the trip.

With the gaffer using the same XI in the last two games, it could be as many as 8/9 changes to the team. This is a must win for Milan and they will throw everything at it, so it’s a balance for Klopp between rotating his side, giving rest to tired limbs, and also fielding a team competitive enough to give Milan a game.

With that being said, we should see Alisson Becker in goal, with the Brazilian captaining the side on his return to Italian soil after his switch from AS Roma in 2018. Ahead of him, Neco Williams and Kostas Tsimikas will come in at full back, easing the workload on Trent and Robbo.

Tsimikas has had a good season so far, keeping 8 clean sheets and winning all 8 games he’s started. It will be an uphill task to keep that record going tonight. Neco has also impressed this season for both club and country, with his appearances limited for the club due to an untimely injury.

In the heart of defence, Ibou Konaté will return and could be partnered by Nat Phillips. Phillips hasn’t had a lot of minutes this season after the return to fitness of Van Dijk, Matip and Gomez. With Van Dijk left out, Gomez just returning from a calf injury and Matip being averse to playing thrice in a week, he gets a start here.

With Ibrahimovic leading the attack for the hosts, it will be a sight to behold seeing Phillips and the Swede go up for a header. The five subs available in this competition could well see Gomez come on for the final half hour, likely in place of Phillips, with Matip also providing an option from the bench.

In midfield, young Tyler Morton is a shoo in to start. With Milner suspended and Naby Keita just returning from a hamstring injury, Morton is likely to start alongside Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabinho. It will be Fabinho’s 4th start in 11 days, which is not ideal. As such, the Brazilian is likely be taken off early.

The returning Naby Keita could come on in his place in a pre-planned sub to also get minutes on the clock. The Guinean was enjoying a good run of form before another unfortunate injury. Dixon-Bonner will also provide an option and hope to make his debut in the competition as the game wears on.

Upfront, the hero of Saturday, Divock Origi, is all but confirmed to start by the manager. He started against Milan at Anfield on Matchday 1 and provided the assist for Salah’s equaliser. He will renew his battle with Tomori as he leads the line tonight.

Flanking him will be Takumi Minamino, with the Japanese international also getting another start here to keep ticking over. He played the full game against Porto and will hope for a more productive night infront of goal here. Alongside these two will be one of Sadio Mané or Mohamed Salah.

Bobby Firmino is still yet to recover from his hamstring injury, and with Diogo Jota left out, it’s down to the two iconic widemen. A start here will be their 6th in 18 days, which suggests they will share the 90 minutes, with one coming on for the other on the hour mark.

This is a return to Italy for Mo and the media is already building it as a Zlatan vs Salah showdown. For that reason alone, I reckon Mo will want to start. There are more records on the line for him to break and he will be champing at the bit to get stuck into the Rossoneri. Sadio will then have the last half hour.

Predicted team:

Alisson, Williams, Phillips, Konaté, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Morton, Salah, Origi, Minamino.

Subs: Kelleher, Davies, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Matip, Robertson, Bradley, Keita, Dixon-Bonner, Mané.