Jurgen Klopp put a Liverpool squad with many notable omissions through their paces on Monday, ahead of the semi-final second leg against Barcelona.
The Reds currently have just two games left until the end of the season, but could add another to their fixture list with a famous comeback win on Tuesday night.
Having lost 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last week, Liverpool face a difficult task to both keep a clean sheet and overturn the goal deficit and reach the final.
An open training session just over 24 hours before kickoff could have indicated Klopp’s plans, with Virgil van Dijk among a group working individually to manage their fitness.
In fact, the manager only called upon 14 outfield players at Melwood, along with goalkeepers Alisson, Simon Mignolet and Caoimhin Kelleher, which could suggest rotation is afoot.
Naby Keita, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are confirmed absentees, but it may be that Van Dijk is rested, along with Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Full-back duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson should start, however, particularly as Alberto Moreno was also not part of the squad in training.
Speaking before the game, Alexander-Arnold discussed the productive assists competition he’s enjoying with the left-back, saying “we’ve pushed each other to our limits and we’ve shown that it’s working for us.”
Robertson was one of the standouts of an excellent all-round performance despite defeat in the first leg, with Jordan Henderson replacing Keita early in the first half after the Guinean’s injury.
The absence of Van Dijk could see Dejan Lovren keep his place in the side despite a poor performance against Newcastle on Saturday night, partnering either Joe Gomez or Joel Matip.
Sadio Mane‘s involvement will be crucial, as without Salah and Firmino the Reds are decidedly light on top-level firepower.
Such is the dearth of options that teenager Rhian Brewster could be entrusted with at least a place on the substitutes’ bench.
It would be particularly interesting, though, if the striker was called upon ahead of Daniel Sturridge in the starting lineup.
Brewster was all smiles as he continues to take part in first-team training, clearly integrating within the group well despite having yet to make his debut.
Along with Brewster, Sturridge and Mane, Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri are also options in the attack, while Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner and Gini Wijnaldum ensure there remains depth in midfield.
As can be expected, speaking in his pre-match press conference at Anfield, Klopp made no hint as to whether he would employ rotation for the tie.
“We try to win the game, and if we have the [aggregate] result to get to the next round [we will],” he told reporters.
“Until then we just have to try to win the game. That’s the way we will do it.”
Liverpool Squad Training on Monday
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Mignolet, Kelleher
Defenders: Matip, Lovren, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson
Midfielders: Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner
Forwards: Mane, Origi, Sturridge, Shaqiri, Brewster
Training separately: Van Dijk, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain
Fan Comments