[ad_1]
Liverpool’s medical department could be asked to do several overtime this weekend.
The Reds are emerging as the walking wounded when the club’s international contingent returned to Merseyside on Thursday.
With a league-leading high-flying Leicester looming next to Jurgen Klopp, the options are seemingly narrowing for the game for the champions.
Joe Gomez and Mohamed Salah are two of those who are definitely out for this one.
Gomez, of course, suffered a serious knee injury while on duty for England and faces an uphill battle to play again this season.
Salah has tested positive for the coronavirus, which means he won’t play any role against the Foxes either.
At least Klopp has already had more than a week to formulate a game plan for Sunday knowing those two are not available to him.
They are joined by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the shelf, while doubts about Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho persist.
Thiago has not played in over a month, while Fabinho faces a time trial race to prove his fitness after a hamstring injury on 27 October against Midtjylland.
Both were photographed yesterday at the AXA Training Center, with Fabinho exercising in the gym.
Oxlade-Chamberlain was also seen kicking a ball in an outdoor session while continuing his rehab program.
Liverpool will also evaluate the two Williamses on the squad with Rhys returning from England Under-21 service after retiring as a precaution after a hip problem.
His Welsh namesake, Neco, also missed on the substitute bench on Wednesday after sustaining a foot injury.
Captain Jordan Henderson is another whose fitness will be the subject of some conversations when Klopp meets the media for the first time at Zoom at the new training ground.
Retired from England’s service last week, the Reds’ skipper was evaluated by club staff on Tuesday and will remain so until the game.
There is optimism from within the Liverpool field, it is understood, but it is by no means guaranteed to be included.
So who lines up in the bottom four?
If Neco Williams recovers from the foot injury, he could appear alongside a central defense partnership of Joel Matip and Nat Phillips.
Andy Robertson suffered a punctured hamstring during Scotland’s penalty shootout win over Serbia, but was fit enough to start in Israel on Wednesday night.
Kostas Tsimikas could be ready for a team run in the next few weeks to ease Robertson’s workload, but the Scottish captain is likely to start this one.
In midfield, one could assume that Gini Wijnaldum is a safe starter.
Naby Keita is also competing for a place in the engine room as James Milner, if not required as a winger, of course.
Without Mohamed Salah it means the 4-2-3-1 could be replaced by the more tried and trusted 4-3-3 with Diogo Jota taking the Egyptian’s place alongside Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
However, Klopp may very well keep faith in that attacking formation and give Xherdan Shaqiri a chance.
The Swiss international has made a big impact in recent weeks, setting up Alexander-Arnold and Jota with well-weighted passes in recent wins over West Ham and Midtjylland.
Keeping faith at 4-2-3-1 could mean Shaqiri is sitting in Salah’s place on the right, which is a position he has held most of the time with Liverpool red.
Given that Klopp was brave enough to name him at Manchester City, there is little to question a theory where he uses it at Anfield against Leicester.
Whatever the prognosis of Liverpool’s various injury questions, Klopp still has a lot to choose from.
Get the latest news on injuries and Liverpool teams as Klopp faces the selection dilemma, plus the latest news and analysis on what’s next for the Reds.
You’ll also get the latest talk and transfer analysis delivered right to your inbox every day with our FREE email newsletter.
Register here, it only takes a few seconds!
That is why there is a lot of weight in the opinion that this is the strongest Reds team in the Premier League era.
Those claims will be tested significantly this weekend.
[ad_2]
