Liverpool’s lineup vs. Chelsea on Sunday looks like being a straightforward selection due to Jurgen Klopp having such limited options.
The Reds travel down to Wembley on Saturday ahead of the Carabao Cup final, with Klopp left sweating on the fitness of key trio Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai.
“Dom, Darwin and Mo we have to really see, we have two more days,” said assistant Pepijn Lijnders on Friday morning. “We will check if they can be there. [It] would be great, to be honest!”
It certainly would, but even if any of the trio are available it seems unlikely that they’d be risked from the start, especially with the potential of extra time (again!).
With that in mind, the Liverpool team pretty much picks itself, with only one real decision facing Klopp – that being whether to start Joe Gomez or Andy Robertson at left back.
That Robertson was on the bench in midweek likely indicates that he was rested ahead of Sunday, so he looks set to start.
Although, it could be argued alternatively that with the potential for extra-time it would be better to start Gomez and then bring on Robertson to replace Conor Bradley later on, as was done in the comeback win against Luton.
The only other change will see Ibrahima Konate come in for Jarell Quansah at the centre of defence.
Beyond that selection, Klopp’s hands are completely tied.
The midfield will surely be Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, with Harvey Elliott remaining on the right of the front three alongside Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.
Likely Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Elliott, Gakpo, Diaz
Liverpool’s bench against Luton featured five players who have never started a league game, and if none of Salah, Nunez or Szoboszlai are available it will be an extremely inexperienced group of options Klopp could call on to change the game.
16-year-old Trey Nyoni would likely be the one to drop from the squad if any of the trio are available.
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