Arne Slot will be without Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez for Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Qarabag.
The Reds welcome the Azerbaijani side to Anfield on Wednesday night knowing that a win will secure their place in the last 16 and avoid a dreaded two-legged knockout play-off tie.
Liverpool currently sit fourth in the Champions League table after five wins and two defeats on the continent this term.
Slot remains without Konate for this game, with the Frenchman absent for Liverpool’s last two fixtures after the death of his father.
Wataru Endo could deputise as a makeshift defender, with Gomez also absent after an injury suffered in Saturday’s last-gasp defeat by Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Slot only has one senior centre-back fit in captain Virgil van Dijk, with summer signing Giovanni Leoni out for the season with an ACL injury.
Federico Chiesa is another with question marks over his fitness, after he was not able to sit on the bench against Marseille, nor did he feature against Bournemouth due to injury. He was, however, present in training ahead of the Qarabag match.
Alexander Isak has suffered a broken leg, while Conor Bradley is out for the season with a knee injury.
That leaves the Reds slightly thin on the ground in terms of numbers, but their quality should still shine through here.
Giorgi Mamardashvili could deputise for Alisson in goal should Slot deem the Brazilian in need of a rest, while Jeremie Frimpong is the only fit right-back in Bradley’s absence, though Dominik Szoboszlai can also be deployed there.
Andy Robertson could play despite transfer interest from Tottenham, and he replaced Milos Kerkez as a substitute at the Vitality Stadium over the weekend.
Van Dijk is a dead cert for this one, but his partner remains to be seen. With Konate and Gomez not available, that could leave Endo as an auxiliary central defender, while Ryan Gravenberch has also played in that position under Slot.
Gravenberch is likely to play regardless of his position, and if he is shifted into the back four, that could mean a midfield two of Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones, with Szoboszlai ahead of them.
Florian Wirtz started wide left against Bournemouth, but Cody Gakpo could be moved onto that flank to accommodate Hugo Ekitike.
Mohamed Salah has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, and featured against both Marseille and Bournemouth.
Predicted Liverpool XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Endo, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike
Injured: Isak, Bradley, Gomez, Leoni
Doubt: Chiesa
Unavailable: Konate
Time and date: 8pm GMT on Wednesday January 28, 2026
Venue: Anfield
How to watch: TNT Sports
