Jurgen Klopp will rotate again for Liverpool’s trip to Brighton on Saturday, with Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah among those likely to start.
The Reds arrive at the Amex Stadium seeking a second away win in four days to continue building upward momentum in the top-four race.
Klopp’s side head south with full confidence after comfortably dispatching of Stoke—a result which can provide the springboard for the consistent, winning run needed at this crucial stage.
There is zero room for complacency against a Brighton side who have lost only once at home this season, and Liverpool will again need to be clinical at both ends to claim victory.
Klopp is set to shuffle his pack again as dictated by the hectic schedule, and the impressive squad available ensures a strong XI will be named—with Jordan Henderson, Coutinho and Salah all set to start.
Team News
- Klopp set to rotate again as unrelenting schedule continues
- Joel Matip ruled out with muscle problem
- Adam Lallana “still building up fitness” and unlikely to be involved
- But Ragnar Klavan set to recover from illness to partner Dejan Lovren
- Mohamed Salah in line to return to starting XI
- Dominic Solanke hoping to keep starting place after impressing at Stoke
- Rested quartet Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Philippe Coutinho & Daniel Sturridge all eyeing recalls
- Trent Alexander-Arnold & Andy Robertson available for rotation at full-back
The Reds XI vs. The Seagulls
Klopp is set to rotate again at the Amex Stadium, to introduce the freshness required to maintain intensity during the hectic period.
With a big squad available, it’s just a question of how many switches Klopp deems it necessary to make—with one eye to be kept on the next two huge games against Spartak Moscow and Everton.
The talent and depth available makes it hard to predict how many and where changes will arrive, but it’s safe to assume regulars and usual go-to options who were benched at Stoke will enter.
Alterations could therefore come in all departments, and Klopp’s first defensive switch will be forced with Matip ruled out, meaning Klavan should partner Lovren.
A voluntary defensive switch also seems likely with Alexander-Arnold poised to replace Joe Gomez, who has played three successive full games in a week.
Two changes are nailed on to be made in midfield, where refreshed duo Henderson and Coutinho could replace Emre Can and Oxlade-Chamberlain.
And in attack, man of the moment Salah is sure to start after seeing off Stoke, and could complete the first-choice attack alongside Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, with Solanke dropping out.
The most important task for Klopp in this period is keeping key and core players in top form, and to do that they must kept in prime condition by being rested appropriately.
Some key figures will rightly be reintroduced after a midweek break, but the temptation will be to restore them into the strongest lineup available as suggested above.
Klopp may opt to resist that approach though, and instead use the returns of Henderson, Coutinho and Salah to assist fringe players in order to rest other key men.
It would be a wise move, giving certain key components an opportunity to re-energise for the two huge games that follow Saturday’s clash.
Firmino could be rested this way, and having handed Solanke a chance, Klopp could give Sturridge an opportunity alongside Salah and Mane.
The dynamic Georginio Wijnaldum could also benefit, with Henderson, Can and Coutinho able to form midfield, and this would also allow for much-needed rotation in both full-back roles.
Alberto “the machine” Moreno has shown signs of slowing down in recent outings—which will only end badly if he isn’t rested sometime soon—and if Robertson doesn’t play here then whenever will he?
Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold should again come in at right-back, but Gomez could yet end up tucking inside to partner Lovren rather than dropping to the bench if Klavan fails to recover.
A more mixed Reds side could look like this:
Saturday’s clash presents another winnable game for Liverpool, and a clinical performance is needed to bring another vital three points back to Anfield.
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