Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will have club captain Jordan Henderson available for selection, when his side take on Bournemouth.
Liverpool will welcome Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth to the Anfield this Saturday, as they resume their Premier League campaign following a triumphant midweek in Europe.
The Reds advanced to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in a decade, when they beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad (5-1 on aggregate) on Tuesday and will be hoping to carry the momentum against the Cherries at home this weekend.
Ahead of the game, Klopp revealed in his pre-match press conference that his team had faced some new injury setbacks with Nathaniel Clyne ruled out due to an injury he picked up in training, while Ragnar Klavan will also miss out. They join fellow defender Joel Matip out on the sidelines, who has been ruled out of the season.
Loris Karius has been in impressive form between the sticks of late for the Merseyside outfit and is very much likely to continue in the lineup ahead of Simon Mignolet.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was one of Liverpool’s best players over the two legs against Man City in the Champions League and deserves to be retained in the starting XI at right-back, with the ever so impressive Andrew Robertson expected to start at left-back.
With Matip and Klavan both unavailable, there is little room for Klopp to rotate his defensive personnel, meaning Dejan Lovren and Virgil van Dijk will once again partner up in the centre of the backline.
Captain Jordan Henderson, who missed out on the trip to the Etihad owing to a suspension, is eligible for selection for Saturday’s game. And the manager dropped a strong hint that the England international will be reinstated to the starting XI.
“Jordan played outstandingly good in the last few games and now I tell him because he was not involved in the City game because of a second yellow ‘now you have to fight back, my friend’. He is already hot, he has the freshest legs in the midfield so I would be silly if I did not use him,” Klopp was quoted as saying in his presser.
Alongside Henderson, former Arsenal man Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Netherlands international Georginio Wijnaldum are expected to feature from the kick-off affording veteran James Milner some well-deserved rest.
The rampant Mohamed Salah netted his 39th goal of the season in the midweek win over Manchester City and will once again be the beacon of the attacking threat this Liverpool side offer, starting on the right-flank. The pacey and powerful Sadio Mane is expected to slot in on the opposite wing and try to cause serious issues to the Cherries’ backline.
Klopp has confirmed that Roberto Firmino is fit to play amid concerns over his involvement due to a neck injury. He will play through the middle of the Reds’ attacking trident.
