Liverpool kick off at Brentford this evening for their first game of 2023, with Jurgen Klopp making three changes to his lineup for the Premier League tie.
The Reds finished the year with a lucky 2-1 victory over Leicester, extending their run of league wins to four and edging closer to the Champions League spots.
With both Tottenham and Chelsea dropping points on New Year’s Day, this evening’s clash serves as a big opportunity to gain an advantage on their rivals.
Klopp has made three changes for the trip to west London, but Cody Gakpo is not part of the squad having yet to receive his clearance.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Kostas Tsimikas start in front of Alisson, with Andy Robertson dropping out.
Fabinho returns to the side following the birth of his son, and is joined by Harvey Elliott and Thiago in midfield.
Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Darwin Nunez make up the forward line.
Caoimhin Kelleher and Curtis Jones make their return to the substitutes’ bench, but there is no Jordan Henderson due to concussion, while Roberto Firmino and James Milner were not passed fit.
It is a stronger bench on the whole, though, with Klopp able to omit the inexperienced due of Bobby Clark and Ben Doak.
Brentford, meanwhile, are without top goalscorer Ivan Toney.
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Elliott, Thiago; Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nunez
Substitutes: Kelleher, Matip, Phillips, Gomez, Robertson, Bajcetic, Keita, Jones, Carvalho
Brentford: Raya; Zanka, Mee, Pinnock; Roerslev, Norgaard, Janelt, Jensen, Henry; Mbeumo, Wissa
Substitutes: Strakosha, Crama, Bech, Trevitt, Canos, Dasilva, Ghoddos, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter
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