Andrew Robertson misses out due to an injury for Liverpool’s game against Ajax in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Liverpool are coming into this contest on the back of a 4-1 defeat to Napoli in their UEFA Champions League group opener. And the Reds will be desperate to bounce back strongly, when they take on Ajax at Anfield on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, Ajax picked up a 4-0 win against Scottish outfit Rangers in their group opener and will be reasonably confident of grinding out a good result here. The Dutch giants are aware of the fact the Liverpool struggling right now and will be looking to make the most of the home team’s inconsistencies.
Liverpool have a number of injury problems to deal with, and they will be without key defender Andrew Robertson who picked up a knock against Napoli. The Scottish left-back is expected to be replaced by Kostas Tsimikas in the starting lineup.
“Robbo now is not 100 per cent. [He felt something] very late, 93rd or whatever minute – actually he felt it the next day only. But yeah, he is out for at least, I would say, after the international break,” Jurgen Klopp said to the club’s official website.
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Joel Matip made a cameo against Napoli, and he is expected to start in place of Joe Gomez, who had a disappointing outing against the Serie A outfit. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are expected to continue in the starting lineup against Ajax.
As far as the midfield is concerned, Thiago Alcantara returned to action last week and is set to start alongside Brazilian midfielder Fabinho and youngster Harvey Elliott. The likes of Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Curtis Jones are all sidelined with injuries.
““Curtis, not available. Fabio trained yesterday normal, will be available. No, I don’t expect him [Keita] to go on international duty. The expected return date is somewhere in October, that’s why we had to make the decision.”
“With Ox it is the same and that’s why the two boys are not in the Champions League squad because of their expected return. It can differ a little bit, but we had to make the decision now or last week and that’s why we made the decision.”
In the offensive unit, Darwin Nunez is expected to make his first Champions League start for Liverpool after making a substitute appearance against Napoli. Luis Diaz is the most in-form player at the club right now, and the Colombian is expected to start on the left flank with Mohamed Salah on the right side of the Liverpool attack against Ajax.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Elliott, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
