LIVERPOOL VS LEICESTER CITY: PREDICTED LINEUP

Liverpool host Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City tomorrow night. The Reds are coming off the back of a 3-1 win over Cardiff whilst Leicester were dumped out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest. We look at how Jürgen Klopp could line his side up for the encounter.

For a match preview, you can head here:

https://made4liverpool.com/2022/02/08/liverpool-vs-leicester-city-preview/

It’s almost a full available squad with only Sadio Mané certain to miss out. He’s expected back in the UK tonight after returning home to Senegal to celebrate the AFCON win. Jordan Henderson is a doubt as it stands after missing out on training over the past two days with a back injury.

He continues to be monitored ahead of tomorrow night. Aside the skipper and Sadio, everyone else is available with Mo Salah pushing for a start after returning to training yesterday – a mere 48 hours after disappointment in the AFCON final. Origi is also available after missing the last two months with a knee injury.

The duo of Joe Gomez and Oxlade-Chamberlain are also available after recovering from Covid and resuming training with their teammates. It is certainly an abundance of riches for Jürgen Klopp as he faces several pleasant selection headaches for the first time in a long while. 

In goal, Alisson Becker is expected to return to the lineup. The Brazilian was left out vs Cardiff as he had only just returned from international duty with Brazil. Ahead of him in defence, it’s a straightforward selection with Alexander-Arnold and Robertson starting at full back.

Joel Matip is likely to return alongside Van Dijk, with Ibou Konaté returning to the bench. He will be joined by Joe Gomez who hasn’t played enough minutes this season. He has fallen down the pecking order after returning from a season ending injury last summer.

Rotten luck has also seen him miss out in games he would have been guaranteed to start, with Covid ruling him out against Shrewsbury and Cardiff. He will be hoping this run of games sees him get his opportunity.

In the engine room, the first of the gaffer’s quandaries is posed, with numerous options available and pushing for a start. Fabinho is the surest pick, with the Brazilian expected to line up in his usual holding role.

With the skipper unlikely to be available, could we see Harvey Elliott make his first start in five months? Especially after marking his return from that horrible injury with a brilliant goal and cameo on Sunday. Or would it be too much too soon?

Only the manager and the medical team will know for sure. Another who will be hoping for a start is Naby Keita. He didn’t sizzle at the weekend but giving him a run of games will help bring out his best form.

Thiago is also in contention after marking his own return from injury with a ten minute cameo at the weekend. Jones, Milner and Oxlade-Chamberlain will all be competing for a start as well, underlining the depth the manager has at his disposal at the minute.

A trio of Fabinho, Keita and Thiago has a lovely balance to it however, and could be the combination the manager goes with. In attack, another selection poser presents itself. Luis Diaz looked exciting on his debut and could be set for a full debut tomorrow night.

Mo Salah is also back and no doubt pushing hard for a start. You would expect Jota and Firmino to start though seeing as they’ve had a two week winter break and a ninety minute showing against Cardiff to blow off the cobwebs.

It is then a case of picking one between Salah, Diaz, Minamino and Origi. The sheer workload and emotional journey Salah has gotten through over the past fortnight should see him start on the bench. With Inter Milan on the horizon, there is really no need to rush him back.

That would then mean Luis Diaz gets a first start, lining up on the left wing. The 25 year old showed a little bit of what he was about on Sunday and will be looking forward to a runout under the floodlights infront of a vociferous Anfield crowd.

We saw the Diaz – Firmino – Jota frontline in the last half hour against Cardiff. It looked promising and it would be interesting to see how they fare together from the start. Jota has yet to convince on the right wing but will look to interchange with his colleagues as much as possible.

That makes for a very strong bench indeed, with one of Origi/Minamino missing out on the matchday squad altogether.

Predicted team:

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Keita, Thiago, Jota, Firmino, Diaz.

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Konaté, Tsimikas, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Elliott, Salah, Origi.