Naby Keita should return while Takumi Minamino will replace Roberto Firmino when Liverpool take on Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday.
Newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool will be looking to return to winning ways when they play hosts to Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday evening. And, Jurgen Klopp does not have any fresh injury concerns to deal with ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
The big talking point ahead of Aston Villa’s trip to Anfield has been about how the Liverpool boss could rotate his troops in order to give fringe players and youngsters a chance to impress. However, in his pre-match press conference, Klopp quashed any such suggestions.
“We will not give Premier League matches just for fun”
Jurgen Klopp telling #LFC‘s youngsters they have to earn their place in his side pic.twitter.com/anyxed5geW
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) July 3, 2020
“We want to win football games and for winning football games the best players have to be on the pitch. And when the young players are part of these best players then they will be on the pitch. They are so close, they are really good and they are our future, 100 per cent. But they will not play now because I want to see them in a Premier League game,” the Liverpool manager said.
Klopp continued, “We don’t give Premier League games as Christmas presents, we cannot do that. We just want to do it because that’s the case and the boys are really good. But how I said, it is not like giving appearances or Premier League games away like sweets. We have to make sure the best XI on that day is on the pitch and the other guys who fit best in the formation will come on.”
No changes are expected at the back, with Alisson Becker starting in the Liverpool goal. The back-line protecting Alisson will have an unchanged look as well, with Joe Gomez retaining his place in the side despite a stinker of a performance against Manchester City. Gomez will have Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson for company at the back.
The big shuffle should come in midfield, with captain Jordan Henderson likely to be given a rest. Meanwhile, Georginio Wijnaldum was unimpressive last time out and could make way for Naby Keita. Keita will partner with Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who ought to replace Henderson, in the three-man midfield.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will continue their quest to win the Golden Boot yet again this season, but their usual partner Roberto Firmino could drop out after a few unimpressive displays. Firmino will make way for Takumi Minamino, who will make his first start at Anfield in Liverpool colours.
Liverpool Predicted XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Minamino, Mane