LFC CHRISTMAS GIFTS

UP THE REDS!
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 19, 2023: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool lineup vs. Man United already clear with 9 changes from midweek

With Jurgen Klopp making full use of his squad so far this season, his starting XIs for each game have not always been easy to predict.

But thanks to the Reds’ involvement in the Europa League on Thursday, the manager has offered up some unusually big clues as to how his team might look for the visit of Man United this weekend.

Here, we attempt to call how the hosts will line up when Liverpool face their rivals at Anfield on Sunday.

There is, of course, no more straightforward pick than Alisson coming in to replace Caoimhin Kelleher between the sticks.

And the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk from the squad that headed to Belgium mean they are dead-certs to start at right-back and centre-back respectively.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 3, 2023: Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Alongside them, Ibrahima Konate should be ready to feature ahead of Joe Gomez, who may be needed at right-back late in the game, while Kostas Tsimikas was rested to come back in on the left of defence.

In midfield, with Alexis Mac Allister still out injured, Wataru Endo looks a likely starter in the holding role having also come through a first-half outing of his own in midweek.

And there is one certainty about who will feature ahead of him in the middle, with Dominik Szoboszlai rested against Union SG and ready to come back in.

His fellow No. 8 would typically be harder to guess, but Curtis Jones playing the entire 90 minutes on Thursday suggests it will be Ryan Gravenberch who gets the nod.

Up top, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz look obvious picks on either flank given the lack of alternatives and their absence against USG.

And while Cody Gakpo might have pushed Darwin Nunez for a start, the Dutchman was given the full game in Belgium and so will likely be used from the bench.

Predicted Liverpool XI vs. Man United: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Endo, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Diaz, Nunez