Jürgen Klopp has announced the lineup for today’s monumental Premier League match at Anfield. Liverpool will seek to make a significant declaration in the competition for the title as it faces Manchester City.
Prior to the start of the game, the main issue of concern has been the physical condition of Ibrahima Konaté. The defender sustained an injury during the second half of Thursday’s Europa League victory against Sparta Prague, although there was some optimism that he might be ready to play this afternoon.
However, this has not been confirmed as Konaté was not included in today’s matchday roster, despite arriving with some of Liverpool’s injured players earlier. Klopp has so made significant decisions regarding his team.
The manager of the Reds implements three alterations to his team since Thursday, which notably involve significant decisions in the defensive line. Conor Bradley and Virgil van Dijk make a comeback, while Joe Gomez takes up the left-back position from Andy Robertson. Jarell Quansah begins in the center.
Dominik Szoboszlai reclaims his position in the midfield, while Harvey Elliott transitions to the forward line, resulting in Cody Gakpo being relegated to the substitute bench. Mohamed Salah also joins him in the team, as the Egyptian player was not included in the starting lineup due to concerns over his recent injury recovery.
The Liverpool team that will face Manchester City has been confirmed as follows: Kelleher in goal; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, and Gomez in defense; Endō, Mac Allister, and Szoboszlai in midfield; and Elliott, Núñez, and Díaz on the forward line.
Given that this is Jürgen Klopp’s final season, the match would have been highly meaningful even without considering its impact on the title race. He and Pep Guardiola have significantly influenced a period of time in the Premier League and global football, and this upcoming match might be their final encounter (unless there is a captivating possibility of a hypothetical FA Cup final confrontation in the German’s ultimate Liverpool game).
However, the relentless pursuit of unparalleled achievement on the field of play serves as a distraction from the magnitude of Klopp’s departure. At the conclusion of the season, we will thoroughly analyze it. However, at present, the focus is entirely on the intense competition for the title, and this particular match is significant in its own right, even without considering the possibility that it could be the ultimate clash between these formidable rivals.
Prior to today’s significant match, two of our Liverpool.com writers expressed their opinions on their preferred choices. Examine the teams listed below and assess how they compare to Klopp’s team.
Matt Addison has chosen Conor Bradley for the position.
The majority of this team is automatically selected, with only a few significant choices remaining to be made. Undoubtedly, Ibrahima Konaté will participate if he is able to, but I have a suspicion that he will not be accessible. Given the circumstances, I have decided to choose Conor Bradley as the right-back and Joe Gomez as the center-back. It is advisable for Andy Robertson to be positioned as a left-back.
Regarding the midfield position, I believe it is unfair to exclude Harvey Elliott. However, I have chosen Wataru Endō to occupy the central role, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister positioned on each side. Elliott and Cody Gakpo, although not included in my starting front three, can provide significant value as substitutes. Liverpool may require their substitutes to enter the game and secure a victory or at the very least, score a goal. This renders their responsibilities just as vital as those who start the match.
Mohamed Salah returns to the attack, while Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz are currently the preferred options for the other positions. If Diogo Jota had been healthy, he would have made a significant impact. However, it is clear that Gakpo is the guy who is currently being left out.
My initial lineup consists of the following players: Kelleher, Bradley, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Endō, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Núñez, and Díaz.
Anticipated outcome: A 1-1 tie.
Keep an eye on Mohamed Salah as he is certain to score.
James Martin predicts that Mohamed Salah will return to the starting lineup.
Despite the fact that there are still a significant number of players on the injury list, Klopp now has more choices to decide compared to the previous weeks. If Konaté is unavailable, it will be intriguing to observe his strategy for reorganizing the defense.
Joe Gomez has the option to play in a central position, but I like him to play as a full-back due to his strong defensive capabilities. It is yet to be determined which player Guardiola would select for the left position, given there have been injuries in that area. However, I would opt for the safe choice and consider bringing Conor Bradley into the game as a substitute.
In my opinion, Jarell Quansah would be a suitable choice as Virgil van Dijk’s partner, and I have no objections to that decision. He has demonstrated his preparedness for the most significant matches. Andy Robertson has potentially disrupted the defensive organization by allowing opponents to breach the offside trap and exploit gaps in the defense. While I contemplated selecting Gomez and Bradley as the full-backs, I ultimately chose Robertson due to his expertise and offensive capabilities.
Endō’s selection in midfield is a testament to his exceptional ability and reliability. In front of him, Mac Allister is a guaranteed first-choice player, whereas I would include Szoboszlai in the starting lineup. Harvey Elliott has been doing quite well recently, but we are aware of his capabilities as a substitute player, and he has accumulated a significant amount of playing time in recent matches.
At the forefront, this trio appears to be the most robust we have seen in quite some time. Salah thoroughly enjoys competing against Manchester City. Núñez possesses all the necessary skills to cause significant damage to Guardiola’s team, and Díaz now has the support of more experienced teammates.
My initial lineup consists of the following players: Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson, Endō, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Salah, Núñez, and Díaz.
Anticipated outcome: Liverpool to win with a scoreline of 3-2.
One aspect to pay out to is Núñez’s ability to exploit Manchester City’s exposed high defensive line.
