Jurgen Klopp will be tempted to start Mo Salah as Liverpool host Man City in a huge Premier League clash on Sunday, but it is debatable whether he is ready.
The Reds head into the weekend top of the table and on a run of seven consecutive wins in all competitions, their most recent being a 5-1 victory at Sparta Prague.
But this resembles arguably the biggest game of the season so far, with Pep Guardiola’s Man City visiting Anfield hoping to take top spot.
Liverpool and Man City contested a 1-1 draw at the Etihad earlier in the campaign, with Trent Alexander-Arnold scoring a stunning equaliser, but Klopp’s squad has been struck with injuries ever since.
So how could the Reds line up against their title rivals?
Team news
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Klopp revealed the following:
- Ibrahima Konate set for a scan after hamstring scare vs. Sparta
- Joe Gomez “is fine” despite being substituted at half-time
- “All the others are fine” – so no more new injuries
- Nine others still out including Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Jones and Jota
Liverpool’s XI vs. Man City
There are two big questions when it comes to Liverpool’s lineup vs. Man City: will Konate be fit, and will Salah be fit to start?
Given the Frenchman was yet to undergo a scan he should be considered doubtful – though there remains a chance it shows no damage – while Salah only played 16 minutes on his first game back at Sparta.
But provided they are both available to start, here’s how Liverpool could set up:
- Konate to join Virgil van Dijk, Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson in defence
- Dominik Szoboszlai to start alongside Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister
- Salah on right wing with Luis Diaz on left and Darwin Nunez up front
That would see Liverpool line up like this:
Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Diaz, Nunez
However, the likelihood is that Konate will at least not be fit to start, which leaves Klopp with a decision over whether Gomez or Jarell Quansah should partner Van Dijk.
There is a case to argue that Gomez should replace Robertson at left-back instead, though, while if Salah is only passed for a bench role, Harvey Elliott merits his place on form.
With that in mind Klopp could opt for:
- Quansah and Gomez replacing Konate and Robertson in XI above
- Unchanged midfield with Szoboszlai likely to be fully fit
- Elliott in attack along with Diaz and Nunez
That would leave Liverpool as below:
Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Endo, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Elliott, Diaz, Nunez
Given the significance of this fixture, Klopp would hope to field as strong a starting lineup as possible at Anfield, but that has rarely been the case this season.
If Konate and Salah are able to start, Liverpool will almost certainly have better odds of taking all three points.
But as we have learned in recent weeks and months, there is a surprising level of depth in this squad even with almost an entire starting XI out injured.
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