Liverpool facing no new injury concerns ahead of Spartak Moscow clash

September 25, 2017
Jack Lusby

Jurgen Klopp will be able to call upon a strong Liverpool squad for Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Spartak Moscow, with no new injury problems.

The Reds trained at Melwood on Monday morning ahead of their flight out to Moscow later in the day, with Klopp set to hold his pre-match press conference at 5pm (BST).

Having produced an improved performance in Saturday evening’s 3-2 win away to Leicester City, Klopp’s side will be looking to build on their form.

And the German is buoyed by a full complement of players for the trip to Russia, bar the suspended Joe Gomez and long-term absentees Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Lallana.

A 24-man squad reported for fitness drills at Liverpool’s training facility in West Derby—including Sadio Mane, who missed the last three domestic fixtures due to a red-card ban.

Ben Woodburn was missing, however, with the 17-year-old likely to be part of Steven Gerrard‘s U19s squad for the UEFA Youth League once again.

The young Reds will take on their Spartak counterparts at 12pm (BST) on Tuesday, looking for a similar display to last time out.

Captaining Gerrard’s side at Prenton Park against Sevilla, Woodburn was central to an excellent 4-0 victory.

Lazar Markovic and Danny Ings were also part of training, despite being left out of Klopp’s squad for the Champions League group stage.

Klopp is expected to make a handful of changes for Tuesday night, most notably with Loris Karius likely to replace Simon Mignolet between the sticks once again.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a shoo-in to take over from Gomez at right-back, with the Reds’ only other option being Jon Flanagan, while Mane is due to come back into the forward line.

Spartak find themselves in miserable form heading in their second Group E outing, having won just twice in 11 games in the Russian Premier League this season, currently sitting eighth.

They were also held to a 1-1 draw away to Maribor in the Champions League earlier in September.

Speaking to This is Anfield ahead of the clash, Russian football expert and LFCTV commentator John Bradley cast a doubtful view over Spartak’s chances.

“Once Liverpool’s players have seen the very rowdy atmosphere at kickoff and the outstanding tifos behind the goal, I fully expect them to dominate Spartak and run out comfortable winners,” he said.