Cody Gakpo will replace Luis Diaz in the Liverpool attack against Sheffield United at Anfield on Thursday night.
Arsenal have climbed to the top of the standings after their win over Luton Town on Wednesday night, and Liverpool cannot afford any slip-up in the title race when they welcome Sheffield United to Anfield on Thursday. They will be determined to grind out all three points.
The Reds have been handed a timely boost, with manager Jurgen Klopp confirming in his pre-match press conference that Curtis Jones and Andrew Robertson are back in contention for this game. Both players have recovered from their respective injury blows.
The Liverpool boss said, “Curtis is in training, full training, and is in contention. That doesn’t mean he can play 90 minutes, [but] he can play a few minutes.”
On Robertson, Klopp added, “Yeah, and very important, by the way.”
Meanwhile, Trent, Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, and Diogo Jota are expected to return next week. Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip have long-term injury problems, and they are sidelined for the season. Klopp provided a fitness update on several players during his presser.
“The other boys [are] doing well,” said the boss. “Diogo and Trent are together in a group, which helps both, but [it] looks like from next week on they will be hopefully in parts of team training, and then we will see the rest.”
“Ali is with the goalkeeper coaches, so I just see them through the fence, but that looks good as well. I think in his mind as well, next week parts of team training. [Bajcetic] trains now fully with the U21s this week. That means we will take him in training next week with us and then we will see. Another one coming and that’s super-important.”
Caoimhin Kelleher is set to start in goal for Liverpool after impressing in recent weeks in the absence of Alisson. In the back four, Conor Bradley will continue as the right-back in the absence of Alexander-Arnold, and Robertson is set to return in the left-back role. Ibrahima Konate will start at the heart of the defence alongside Virgil van Dijk.
As for the midfield unit, Alexis Mac Allister could be handed a well-deserved rest, especially with Curtis Jones back in the fold. Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai are expected to start.
Darwin Nunez will lead the line for Liverpool against Sheffield United, with Mohamed Salah on his right and Cody Gakpo on the left. Luis Diaz has produced a number of industrious displays on the left flank recently, and he could use a breather right now.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Endo, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo
