A possible lineup for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday.
Curtis Jones was the lone holdover from the 3-1 victory against West Ham United on Sunday, so Jurgen Klopp made 10 changes for Liverpool’s Carabao Cup third-round matchup with Leicester City.
The 22-year-old fulfilled another significant milestone in his burgeoning Reds career by leading his hometown team at Anfield. He was removed in the closing seconds and replaced by Stefan Bajcetic after putting in a respectable performance in the unusual right-back position.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Nunez were needed by Klopp midway through the second half after his replacements paid off with Szoboszlai’s thunderous 20-yard goal. Additionally, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota scored goals that gave them both more self-assurance. Both players finished expertly past Jakub Stolarczyk.
Caiomhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah, Ibrahima Konate, and Kostas Tsimikas made up the remaining back four of the ten alterations from their victory over the Hammers. Despite admitting that Joe Gomez wasn’t “OK” for Enzo Maresca’s team, Klopp did clarify that the English defender will be a contender for the trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday (5:30 p.m. kickoff).
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s health may be a major factor, though it’s possible that Klopp will prefer to ease the full-back back into action rather than start him against Spurs.
Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, and Andy Robertson are all expected to be back in action, which means that the remainder of Liverpool’s backline will likely resume normal operations. Although Joel Matip played well against West Ham, Konate appears like a better option to play beside the Dutch captain given the threat posed by Spurs’ pace.
Wataru Endo began in the centre of a three-man midfield for Liverpool, which also included Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch. After a sluggish first half, Endo began to show signs of what he might provide to the midfield and came into his own.
The equalizer was created by Gravenberch, who supplied his fellow countryman Gakpo from Holland. Elliott was unfortunate not to score, as Conor Coady’s late clearance of the ball off the line prevented him from doing so.
Alexis Mac Allister enjoyed the rest he got on Wednesday, and the Japan midfielder will undoubtedly be replaced by him. Gravenberch is still getting used to how Klopp’s team plays, so it’s doubtful that he will displace Jones, who is expected to move back to the left side of the midfield three.
Five minutes after being introduced, Szoboszlai contributed to the goal, further winning over the Anfield crowd. He is now expected to retake the starting position from Elliott.
With another brilliant performance down the right side for Liverpool, the vivacious Ben Doak didn’t hurt his selection claims, but it is unlikely that he will stay in the starting lineup with Mohamed Salah waiting in the wings.
This weekend, Luis Diaz will be eager to get back to work. The Colombian was at his flamboyant best on Wednesday, even if he was enjoying his pre-game warm-ups as a replacement. His early-game form makes him a viable starter option.
Nunez was asked to participate as he and the goal scorer Szoboszlai were presented. The Uruguayan, who has been impressive all season, brought Anfield to its feet with his tenacious pushing.
Gakpo radiated assurance, and his effort three minutes after halftime confirmed that he is still very much in the discussion regarding Liverpool’s attacking possibilities.
The former PSV captain, who had a difficult start to the season, was a red team exporter for interlinking play and switched positions with Jota, which was problematic for the Foxes.
Nunez started against LASK and West Ham, so his starting position from the bench on Saturday might provide us a hint about the lineup.
Predicted Liverpool line-up to face Tottenham Hotspur: Alisson; Gomez. Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.