Ibrahima Konate will return to the Liverpool starting lineup when they host Newcastle United at Anfield on Saturday.
Liverpool will aim to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they welcome Newcastle United to Anfield on Saturday night. Arne Slot has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Jeremie Frimpong is the latest absentee after sustaining a muscular injury in the UEFA Champions League clash with Qarabag earlier this week. The Dutch full-back has joined Joe Gomez (hip), Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (knee), and Alexander Isak (fracture) in the treatment room.
However, Ibrahima Konate is available after missing the last few games due to personal reasons. Curtis Jones is also back after recovering from a minor illness. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Slot provided a fitness update on Frimpong, Gomez, and Jones while discussing Konate’s impending return.
The Liverpool head coach said, “Ibou trained with us yesterday and trains with us today and will be in the squad tomorrow. Curtis is again available. He was sick, as I said, but he is available. He [Frimpong] will definitely not be in the squad tomorrow, so he is out for a few weeks. But [it’s] not as bad as we thought he would be out.”
“It’s something positive from something not so positive. Joe will not be available but that doesn’t have to take much longer anymore, but he will not be available for the weekend.”
Alisson Becker is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Liverpool lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him against Newcastle United on Saturday. The backline should feature Calvin Ramsay, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez. Dominik Szoboszlai will start as the right-back, with Curtis Jones taking his place in the middle of the park if Ramsay does not get the nod from Slot.
As for the midfield unit, Szoboszlai will pair up with Ryan Gravenberch in the double pivot, with Alexis Mac Allister reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Hugo Ekitike will lead the line for the home side against Newcastle United, with Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah being the two wide attackers. So, Cody Gakpo will be a backup option on the bench for the Reds.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Ramsay, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Ekitike