Jurgen Klopp has suggested there will be a number of changes to his starting lineup for Liverpool’s clash with Porto, but two returning senior players are unlikely to start.
The Reds take on Porto at Anfield on Wednesday night knowing the result has no bearing on where they will finish in Group B.
Four wins out of four so far have guaranteed top spot for Klopp’s side, which gives them the freedom to manage the squad more carefully during a busy winter period.
However, with a sizeable prize fund available for every win in the Champions League, along with a host of injuries restricting his selection, it remains to be seen how many alterations the manager will make.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Klopp hinted that he would rotate with the upcoming clashes in mind, though Jordan Henderson and Andy Robertson should not be expected to come into the lineup.
“We always respect the competition, but we have to think about ourselves and our schedule, and the situation of our players first,” he said.
“Hendo, we will see. Yesterday, I would say he was not maybe at 100 percent.
“He can play, he can do pretty much everything, but it’s about really being at 100 percent fit.
“So I thought when he came on against Arsenal, it was a game just to see the game out and control it a little bit.
“That was exactly, actually, what he had to do from a rehab point of view. So he used these few minutes, but now we have to see. I don’t know 100 percent.
“Robbo similar, both are OK, but are both now ready to play, ready to start with the schedule coming up? I have to make these decisions.
“I didn’t make these decisions yet, to be honest, because how we all know in this time of the season, the medical department has a big hand in lineups.
“So we will see that. But whatever lineup we will show tomorrow night, it’s only about winning the game, winning this game and winning the next and winning the next. That’s what we are here for.”
Klopp was reluctant to give anything away with regards the personnel available to him on Wednesday, with question marks over the fitness of Diogo Jota, Divock Origi, Neco Williams, James Milner and Naby Keita.
Curtis Jones, Roberto Firmino and Joe Gomez are almost certain to miss out, while Harvey Elliott remains a long-term absentee.
As a result, youngsters Tyler Morton, Conor Bradley and Owen Beck are all likely to make the squad, with Morton a possible starter, though Kaide Gordon is ineligible for the Champions League.
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