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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle & Paul Gorst & Theo Squires & Keifer MacDonald

Liverpool line-ups for Manchester United as Cody Gakpo and Jordan Henderson decisions made

Ian Doyle - Gakpo and Henderson to return

Bitter North West rivals Manchester United make the short journey down the East Lancs Road this afternoon.

And I'd be making a few changes to the Liverpool line-up. Not loads, though.

One would be at left-back, where Andy Robertson returns. He joins a defence where Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are at centre-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back and Alisson Becker in goal.

READ MORE: Cody Gakpo makes 'strange' Liverpool admission after Man Utd transfer failure

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Midfield also sees one player come in, with Jordan Henderson replacing Harvey Elliott. Fabinho stays as the anchor, with Stefan Bajcetic providing energy.

And in attack, Cody Gakpo replaces Diogo Jota down the middle, with Darwin Nunez left and Mohamed Salah right.

The bench looks pretty decent.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Bajcetic; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.

GET INVOLVED: Select your LFC XI to face Man Utd below

Paul Gorst - Door open for Reds

The weekend's results could hardly have gone better for Liverpool so far. Defeats for both Tottenham and Newcastle have opened the door further for the Reds in their aim of a top-four place and Jurgen Klopp has the chance to make a good week a great one at home to Manchester United today.

United are probably flying as high as they have at any point since Alex Ferguson's exit 10 years ago just now but Klopp's Liverpool have a great record at home to their historic enemy.

Midfield, as is always the case, is the big dilemma for Klopp. I expect Stefan Bajcetic to be given the nod and a much-improved Fabinho will also be asked to patrol the centre of the park. The big question is who makes that third spot? Harvey Elliott was good against Wolves but this might be one for the captain, Jordan Henderson.

Andy Robertson returns for Kostas Tsimikas at left-back but the rest of the back five remains the same. Ibrahima Konate needs a sustained run in the team now after his recent return to fitness.

Up top, the issue is whether Diogo Jota is fit enough to turn in another draining shift after starting the games against Crystal Palace and Wolves after such a long time out. If he has another 70 minutes in him, I'm naming the Portugal international alongside Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Bajcetic, Henderson; Salah, Jota, Nunez.

Theo Squires - Keep the faith in young midfield

After an improved showing in the 2-0 victory over Wolves, Jurgen Klopp has some tough decisions to make for Liverpool’s latest must-win clash against Manchester United.

Kostas Tsimikas did really well in midweek, but it would be a surprise if he kept his place ahead of Andy Robertson. The rest of the back five remains unchanged, with Ibrahima Konate’s return last Wednesday a welcome boost.

It was a bold call from Klopp to name teenagers Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic either side of Fabinho in midweek but it worked. Granted, Manchester United are more daunting and there is an argument for throwing in experience, but I’d be tempted to keep it the same - especially given how well the Brazilian played in between younger legs.

And in attack, having started the last two games after long-term injury, Diogo Jota drops to the bench with Cody Gakpo recalled down the middle in his place.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Bajcetic; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.

Keifer MacDonald - Right time for Henderson

Having won three of their last four Premier League games and earned four clean sheets in the process, there isn't a great deal for Jurgen Klopp to tinker with ahead of the visit of Manchester United to Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

In defence, Alisson keeps his place between the sticks while Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk set their stall out in front of the Brazilian as the pair are rewarded for a commanding display against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out. Trent Alexander-Arnold too keeps his place as Andy Robertson is the only change as he returns in place of Kostas Tsimikas at left-back.

The battle that takes place in the middle of the Anfield turf, as always, is where the Liverpool manager's biggest decision lies. Having named a relatively young partnership of Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic in mid-week, the arrival of Erik ten Hag's side on Merseyside is the suitable time to welcome Jordan Henderson back into the XI. The Reds skipper will be paramount in the quest of quelling Marcus Rashford's impact on the game and will line up alongside Bajcetic and Fabinho.

In attack, Mohamed Salah keeps his place as he hopes to leapfrog Robbie Fowler and become Liverpool's all-time Premier League goal-scorer, with just two strikes needed to strip the Anfield icon of such an incredible accolade.

Darwin Nunez will engage in a lively battle with Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the left-hand side of the attack. While Cody Gakpo will offer Klopp's men a more robust presence down the middle as he goes up against Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Bajcetic; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.

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