LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

The best photos as Liverpool train for Bayern Munich – with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The Liverpool squad trained at Melwood on Monday afternoon, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joining preparations for a huge clash with Bayern Munich.

After a welcome break and a trip to Marbella, the Reds are on the eve of another Champions League knockout tie, with Bayern visiting Anfield on Tuesday night.

Niko Kovac’s side have endured a difficult campaign so far, but their place in the last 16 is testament to their enduring quality, and both Jurgen Klopp and Jordan Henderson were quick to stress that in the buildup.

Following their press conference at the stadium, the pair were back alongside the rest of the squad at Melwood, with Oxlade-Chamberlain among their number.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

The 25-year-old has been sidelined since last April with a knee injury, but is closing in on a return to full training, and was part of the warmup for Liverpool’s open session.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's players during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern M¸nchen. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Neither Dejan Lovren or Roberto Firmino were involved, however, with the former still out with a hamstring injury and the latter now a doubt for midweek due to a virus.

The hope will be that Firmino was simply not involved as a precaution, but Daniel Sturridge is being considered on standby to start next to Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's Alberto Moreno and Fabio Henrique Tavares 'Fabinho' during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Xherdan Shaqiri is back after an abdominal injury kept him out of the 3-0 win over Bournemouth last time out, and if Firmino is absent could come straight back into the starting lineup too.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp and Sadio Mané of Liverpool during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's Sadio Mane during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Mane is arguably the Reds’ most in-form player in 2019 so far, and speaking to This Is Anfield this week, Bundesliga reporter Ibrahim Naber said he is “very curious how Hummels and Sule can deal with” both him and Salah.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Henderson is almost certain to start as Lovren, Joe Gomez and the suspended Virgil van Dijk miss out, with Fabinho expected to shift into defence and the captain lining up next to Gini Wijnaldum and Naby Keita.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's Sadio Mane during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Teenager Ki-Jana Hoever is available as cover at centre-back, with he and fellow academy talent Corey Whelan both in training on Monday.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, February 18, 2019: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during a training session at Melwood ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Liverpool FC and FC Bayern München. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Salah will make his 20th appearance in the Champions League proper for Liverpool, looking to add to the 13 goals and five assists he’s tallied in the previous 19.

In his pre-match press conference, Klopp insisted Bayern have “all that you need to be successful,” and urged his side to defend together in order to progress.

“It depends all on how we defend in general, that’s it,” he explained.

“There will be a lot of moments where we have to defend, we worked on that obviously, we tried to work on that because we respect the quality of Bayern Munich a lot.

“Speed, technique, experience, all that you need to be successful is there. We respect that and try to make the best of the situation.”


Liverpool Squad Training on Monday

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Mignolet, Kelleher

Defenders: Van Dijk (Suspended), Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Moreno, Camacho, Hoever, Whelan

Midfielders: Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Woodburn

Forwards: Salah, Mane, Shaqiri, Sturridge, Origi

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