Liverpool are back in Premier League action on Saturday as they make the long trip to Brighton, looking to keep the pace in the race of a top four finish.
The Reds fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Brentford in their last league outing, before being held to a 2-2 draw by Wolves in the FA Cup. While Jurgen Klopp named four changes against the West Midlands outfit, he still took the opportunity to name his strongest available XI in the absence of the injured Virgil van Dijk.
Yet he was rewarded with another error-strewn, unconvincing performance as Liverpool’s poor form continued.
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Currently seven points off the top four, and just a point ahead of eighth-placed Brighton, the Reds’ trip to the south coast is a must-win as they look to build on their current sixth-placed position.
And as Klopp again looks to stop the rot, we take a look at the possible XI he could name against the Seagulls…
Van Dijk replacement
In the continued absence of Virgil van Dijk, Klopp looks set to stick with Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip as his first-choice centre-back showing. The pair have kept one clean sheet from seven starts together, so Liverpool will need this relationship to blossom fast if they are to resurrect their fortunes.
The rest of the back five is also unchanged with full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson the best of a bad bunch against Wolves, while Alisson will be looking to put his poor FA Cup performance behind him as quickly as possible.
Keita comes in
On paper, the Liverpool midfield that started against Wolves was the Reds’ strongest. The trio of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Thiago Alcantara started the Champions League final in May after all.
Yet there was no sign of them being the solution to Liverpool’s engine room woes on Saturday as the Reds’ midfield was once again bypassed, left chasing shadows as they lost too many challenges and were poor on the ball.
As a result, Klopp has to twist once again with Naby Keita a desperate last throw of the dice in hope of revival as he comes in for a first start of the season. Out of contract in the summer, it is far from ideal given his injury record, but he has impressed off the bench since the restart following the World Cup and is arguably the Reds’ current last hope to breathe much-needed life into their midfield.
Thiago keeps his place, with it a toss-up between Fabinho and Henderson as to who starts at number six.
Gakpo makes Premier League debut
Cody Gakpo endured a quiet Liverpool debut against Wolves, but at least played a part in helping create Mohamed Salah’s strike in the second half. With Roberto Firmino not yet back in training, he is set to be handed his Premier League debut against Brighton.
Darwin Nunez and Salah will keep their places after both scoring in the FA Cup, with the Reds alternative options admittedly limited with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota still long-term absentees.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has impressed since the World Cup restart and is an alternative, as is Fabio Carvalho, while it remains to be seen if Firmino will be available for the trip to the South Coast. As a result, it’s an unchanged front three as their new-look trio go again.
Possible Liverpool starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Konate, Robertson; Keita, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.
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