With Curtis Jones returning to fitness and Wataru Endo recovering from injury, Jurgen Klopp has a key decision to make for Liverpool’s Premier League match against Man United.
Having conceded two late goals to lose 4-3 at Chelsea in midweek, Man United will likely come into this one with a lack of confidence that Liverpool will hope to exploit.
The Reds will have learnt from their agonising defeat at Old Trafford three weeks ago, with Klopp potentially selecting the same side that started that game in the FA Cup.
Here’s how Liverpool could line up for the Premier League clash against Man United.
Team news
Here’s what Klopp revealed in his press conference:
- “There could be a big chance for” Endo to play
- “Nobody got injured as far as I know” vs. Sheffield United, meaning Konate should be fine to play
Liverpool’s XI vs. Man United
Much of what will decide for Liverpool’s starting XI stems from whether Endo will be fit. Assuming he is, the Japanese should slot straight back in.
Given Klopp’s post-Sheffield United comments, declaring “nobody got injured,” you would expect Konate to start as well.
With Joe Gomez potentially taking Conor Bradley‘s right-back spot as Andy Robertson returns, the back four could consist of four seniors in Gomez, Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Robertson.
Here is how Liverpool could start:
- Luis Diaz, Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez remain the three attackers for the third consecutive match
- Robertson regains his left-back spot after an impactful performance off the bench on Thursday
- Gomez switches to the right to maintain balance, with the left-back more attacking
This is how Liverpool would line up:
Kelleher; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
There is a chance that Klopp throws caution to the wind and plays two attacking full-backs, with Robertson and Bradley playing on the flanks.
In this scenario, though, we would most likely see the 20-year-old coming inside more often like we have seen at times this season from Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Jones coming back into the fold means that the midfield three of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Endo may be broken up.
At the moment, you would have to say the man to drop out would be Szoboszlai. Jones may have only played 20 minutes against Sheffield United but, in that time, he looked back to his pre-injury best.
- Jones starts his first match since February 17 at Brentford
- Jarell Quansah starts as Liverpool are cautious with Konate
- Kelleher plays his 25th game of the season – more than Alisson
Here’s how this alternate team would look:
Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Bradley and Quansah are both great young footballers, but Man United could see this as an area to target should the two play alongside one another.
For that reason, the preceding XI proposed seems the more likely for Klopp to select.
Soccer2day 