Could a trip to Nottingham Forest see Jurgen Klopp turn to Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez up top together? It’s one selection choice he has up his sleeve if his No. 27 is fit.
Liverpool’s latest win came off the boot of Nunez and equally the glove of Alisson and the big toe of James Milner, a result that keeps the Reds moving in the right direction.
Klopp continued with the 4-4-2 formation despite Diogo Jota joining Luis Diaz for a long spell on the sidelines, and the same will be expected against Steve Cooper’s side on Saturday.
It’s an early start for the two teams and with a little over 63 hours between the final whistle against the Hammers and the start of this match, changes are to be expected.
Here’s how the Reds could lineup at the City Ground.
Team News
Thankfully, there was no major injury sustained in midweek but there are a few knocks that will come into consideration when the time comes to make a lineup:
- Wait and see on Nunez after ‘feeling hamstring” in West Ham win
- Ibrahima Konate to return to full training on Monday
- Naby Keita also back in training but his “pre-season starts now”
- “Need to have closer look who we can start” after 63-hour turnaround
Liverpool’s XI vs. Forest
Changes will be afoot such is the short turnaround and the continued need to manage the squad’s workload.
There could be three changes to the XI before more follow throughout the match, with Klopp using his full complement of five substitutions in each of the last six games.
Andy Robertson will be expected to make his return after playing the final nine minutes in midweek, while rotation in the midfield is to continue.
But with Klopp having cast doubt over Nunez’s fitness for the XI, here’s what the Reds could do in his absence:
- Robertson to take over from Kostas Tsimikas; backline otherwise unchanged
- Fabinho returns in place of Jordan Henderson
- Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho support Roberto Firmino and Salah
Those changes from mid-week have the Reds lining up as follows:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Thiago, Carvalho; Firmino, Salah
While the current injuries and fitness of those coming back do limit Klopp’s selection choices from the start, we could yet see Salah and Nunez together up top.
It’s a partnership we saw against Man City and a position that Liverpool’s No. 11 thrives in working closer to the goal.
“There’s a chance we play with Darwin and Mo in the centre – that would be a high-speed combination,” Klopp said after the win at West Ham.
This is assuming the decision made on the Uruguayan’s fitness is to give him the green light.
The manager admits there are still creases to iron out in the new system but it will get another run out at the City Ground:
- Henderson retained for 250th game as captain, next to Fabinho
- Firmino drops out of the team after three starts in a row
- And Salah and Nunez lead the line together
Those tweaks would see Liverpool set up like this:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Henderson, Fabinho, Carvalho; Salah, Nunez
Liverpool will stick to their 4-4-2 formation but it will be intriguing to see if Klopp does pull the trigger on pairing Salah and Nunez together, if the No. 27 is given the green light to start.
But either way, there’s plenty of confidence in this side from the last 10 days but that does not mean they can be complacent against bottom-of-the-table Forest.
Liverpool’s season shows it’s something they cannot afford and a first league win on the road is motivation enough to make it four wins on the spin in all competitions.
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