Wataru Endo will start in place of the suspended Alexis Mac Allister when Liverpool host Brentford at Anfield on Sunday.
Liverpool have failed to win the last two matches across all competitions. Jurgen Klopp’s men were held to draw against Luton Town in the Premier League, and it was followed by a defeat against Toulouse in the Europa League.
Liverpool fans will be expecting a strong reaction from the players when welcome Brentford to Anfield on Sunday afternoon. The Reds will be without the services of Andrew Robertson, who is sidelined following shoulder surgery.
Thiago Alcantara is still recovering from his groin injury, and he is unlikely to return in the coming weeks. Stefan Bajcetic also remains a long-term absentee. Meanwhile, Curtis Jones is sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Alexis Mac Allister is suspended after picking up five yellow cards. Klopp provided an update on Jones and Thiago during his pre-match press conference.
Liverpool vs Brentford Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats
Klopp said, “Curtis had a hamstring last week. Not massive. After the international break, he will be back, but not before. [It is a] low, low-grade.”
On Thiago, he added, “It’s an ongoing thing, and we cannot put any kind of pressure on. We expect him to be back – I would say probably the start of the New Year – that’s probably a realistic thing to try.”
Liverpool are likely to shape up in their usual 4-3-3 formation, with Alisson Becker in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kostas Tsimikas will be deployed as the full-backs, and they will look to help out in the attack. Ibrahima Konate will pair up with Virgil Van Dijk at the heart of the defence.
In the absence of Mac Allister, Wataru Endo is likely to anchor the midfield here. Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai will start alongside him, and the two players will look to add creativity and drive to the side.
Darwin Nunez will look to get on the score sheet and he is expected to lead the line for the home side against Brentford. Finally, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz should start on either side of him. So, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota will be options on the bench for Klopp later in the game.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Endo, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
