Liverpool will be without the services of two midfielders in Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson for the Merseyside derby against Everton on Saturday.
After two long weeks of no Premier League football, the English top flight comes back into the spotlight with a huge game to kick things off. Liverpool welcome their age-old rivals Everton to their home patch, Anfield.
The Reds go into this game as favourites as they have particularly dominated this fixture in the last few seasons. In fact, they are on a twelve game unbeaten league run against the Toffees and will be looking to make it thirteen on Saturday.
However, they will be without the services of two key first team players who will miss out through injury. Adam Lallana, who’s having arguably the best season of his career, is ruled out as he picked up a thigh strain while on international duty for England.
Captain Jordan Henderson last kicked a ball in February, and has since been ruled out through a foot injury. He has been showing signs of recovering, but is not quite ready to return to the first-team fold just as yet.
Lucas Leiva is expected to start this one, playing as a holding midfielder and shielding the defence. The Brazilian is slower than Henderson, and Klopp may have a problem fitting him in against an Everton side that play at a very high tempo. Emre Can is expected to start on the left side of the midfield three.
Striker Daniel Sturridge is also ruled out through injury, and with Danny Ings scheduled for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Divock Origi remains the only senior attacking option should any one of the prolific front three get injured.
Speaking about Liverpool’s attack, Roberto Firmino and Philppe Coutinho are expected to line up from the start as a private jet was hired to bring them back from their international game. There might be doubts about their fatigue and fitness, but it is a risk Klopp has to and will take for a crucial derby game.
A major absentee for Everton will be defender Seamus Coleman. The omnipresent right-back picked up a horrifying injury on international break after he found himself on the wrong of a horrendous challenge from Neil Taylor.
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