Trent Alexander-Arnold will start for Liverpool against Arsenal, but Mohamed Salah remains sidelined, while Darwin Nunez could yet feature despite Jurgen Klopp’s concerns.
Jurgen Klopp is hoping to have a strong Liverpool squad available to face Arsenal as some stars are doubtful before the game. Trent Alexander-Arnold could start at the Emirates, but Mohamed Salah remains sidelined with the injury suffered at the Africa Cup of Nations.
During his pre-match press conference, Klopp spoke at length about Darwin Nunez’s knock against Chelsea. But there are chances the Uruguayan will start against Arsenal. The Reds do have some key absentees, while Andrew Robertson may have to wait for his first start since dislocating his shoulder.
Before the game, there have been a few doubts about the fitness of Nunez, who Klopp revealed left the last game in a protective boot. However, the forward was seen in training ahead of the Arsenal game, meaning the chances of him starting are pretty high.
On Nunez, Klopp said, “I don’t know if Darwin is available or not because after 20 minutes somebody stepped on his foot, and it was very painful after the game. He only took his boot off after the game because he didn’t want to see it before; he knew there was something. So, he left the stadium in a boot, and it was not a football boot.”
“So, nothing broke, X-ray clear, but [it is] swollen and we have to see if he can get his foot back into a boot or not because we all know that takes time. I did not see him this morning so we have to wait a little bit.”
There are still a few absentees for Klopp to contend, as Wataru Endo, Thiago Alcantara, and Kostas Tsimikas are all sidelined. Mohamed Salah is the big miss for Liverpool. The Egyptian was seen running on the pitch in training but remains short of full fitness, especially for the Arsenal game.
In terms of changes, Trent Alexander-Arnold will replace Conor Bradley, who had a fantastic outing against Chelsea in midweek. It is a difficult decision for Klopp to make, considering how well the young full-back deputised for Alexander-Arnold against Chelsea.
The right-back will be the only change to the backline from the Chelsea win, while Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai will maintain their spots in central midfield. Klopp will also retain his front three, including Nunez, who will lead the line, with Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz on either side.
Predicted Liverpool XI Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones; Jota, Nunez, Diaz
