Liverpool are set to welcome Mohamed Salah back into the lineup while Fabinho should replace Jordan Henderson when they face Leicester City.
Liverpool will be hoping to bag all three points when they play hosts to Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City at Anfield in the Premier League on Thursday night.
Liverpool will go into the game boosted by the return of superstar Mohamed Salah, who is back in training after his involvement with the Egyptian national team at the Africa Cup of Nations. However, they will likely be without captain Jordan Henderson, who picked up a knock in the weekend FA Cup tie against Cardiff City.
Liverpool vs Leicester City Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats
Providing an update on his captain’s condition in his pre-match press conference, Jurgen Klopp said: “Hendo has a little bit [of a] back problem from the last game and Sadio is not here, but neither issue will be long term, so that’s good.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joe Gomez are also back in training after recovering from Coronavirus, but Divock Origi might be a doubt for the contest as he continues to recover from an injury. Klopp is expected to make a few changes to the side that took the field against Cardiff City at the weekend.
Alisson Becker will man the goal for the home team, wheree he will be shielded by the backline comprising Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk as the centre-halves, flanked by the two full-backs in Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson.
With Henderson’s involvement in doubt, it should pave the way for Fabinho to start at the base of the midfield after he was rested for the cup tie. He should have the experienced pair of Thiago Alcantara and James Milner as his partners in the centre of the pitch. Harvey Elliott, who returned from injury against Cardiff, is likely to get minutes from the bench.
The return of Salah will come as a big boost for Liverpool, but it will be important that the Egyptian sets aside his AFCON disappointment and helps Liverpool stay on track in their Premier League title challenge.
“When you lose a final, and we are obviously the best example for that, that’s really hard, really, really hard,” Klopp said about his talisman. “But if you use it for the next big game or the next big tournament then it can be at least helpful even when it was still hard. So he will benefit from it, we will benefit from it, but in which kind exactly, I don’t know.”
Salah is expected to start in his customary slot on the right flank, while Diogo Jota should get the nod on the left, with Roberto Firmino expected to lead the line through the middle. January signing Luis Diaz should get minutes from the bench.
Liverpool Predicted XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Thiago, Fabinho, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Jota.
