With eight matches in the month of April, Jurgen Klopp must pick and choose carefully when to rotate, starting with Liverpool vs. Sheffield United.
Being Liverpool manager is a constant balancing act between ensuring players are at their fittest, while maintaining enough momentum and quality to win every match.
So far this season, Klopp has done a good job of dealing with injuries and, for the first time in months, he is beginning to have positive selection headaches.
Here’s how Liverpool could line up vs. Sheffield United.
Team news
Here’s what Klopp revealed in his press conference:
- Wataru Endo “got a knock in the last game so we will have to see what we do with him”
- Curtis Jones “is in full training and is in contention”
- Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson due back “in parts of team training” next week
- Andy Robertson is fit again
Liverpool’s XI vs. Sheffield United
With a big game against Man United on Sunday, Klopp will be hoping to give some of his key players a rest. However, this can’t come at the expense of dropping points.
Taking this into account, it is most likely Liverpool remain unchanged from the weekend and seek to get the game won early, rather than having to bring on the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez when chasing a result.
Here are some of the decisions Klopp will likely make:
- Conor Bradley starts his 15th match this season as Alexander-Arnold edges closer to playing
- Endo starts despite his “knock,” alongside Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai
- Front three remains the same with Cody Gakpo on the bench again
This is how Liverpool would line up:
Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Endo, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Diaz, Nunez
Klopp could, of course, decide to make more changes from the Brighton match. After all, he has only kept an unchanged side once all season, between the first and second matches of the campaign.
Ibrahima Konate will be itching to get back out there and will probably play at least 45 minutes, though that could be as a substitute.
Another option would be:
- Gakpo starts on the left allowing Luis Diaz a rest
- Mac Allister starts as the defensive midfielder, with Harvey Elliott coming into midfield
- Robertson returns from an ankle injury picked up with Scotland
Here’s how this alternate team would look:
Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Elliott; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo
Whether Klopp decides to make changes or not, Liverpool will have the stronger starting XI. They just need to make sure their intensity is high enough to guarantee the three points.
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