Full Liverpool squad available to face Chelsea as…

Full Liverpool squad available to face Chelsea as Darwin Nunez and Stefan Bajcetic decisions made

Darwin Nunez is expected to return to the fold for Liverpool on Saturday, as the Reds host Chelsea in the Premier League.

The Uruguayan striker missed the Reds' miserable trip to Brighton last Saturday and the mid-week FA Cup victory at Wolves, but is back in contention for a start against Graham Potter's Blues.

Prior to the start of the season, both clubs were at short odds to be crowned Premier League champions at the end of May, but disastrous form in the fist half of the campaign sees Liverpool and Chelsea languishing in ninth and tenth position respectively.

The Reds are still without key centre-back Virgil van Dijk, who is recovering from a ham-string injury and Roberto Firmino who's 'minor' post-World Cup break injury appears to have developed into something more serious. Jurgen Klopp will also have to do without longer-term absentees Arthur Melo, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota. Kostas Tsimikas suffered a knock to his back against Wolves, but Klopp is hopeful that he will still be included in the squad.

Teenage midfielder Stefan Bajcetic impressed midweek in the FA Cup replay and the Liverpool manager explained on Friday how the 18-year-old is now a full member of the first team squad.

Klopp said: "He has for a while been closer to getting into my thoughts for a start. He was injured for two games. Nothing serious, painful, but now he has played and is closer. You can't be closer to a team than always being in a squad and coming on, stuff like this. Do we have to be careful with him because of his development? It doesn't look like that, no."

Here is a look at the expected full Liverpool squad to face Chelsea.

Goalkeepers: Adrian, Alisson, Caoimhin Kelleher.

Defenders: Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Kostas Tsimikas (slight doubt/back), Nat Phillips, Calvin Ramsay, Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Midfielders: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Fabio Carvalho, Fabinho, Harvey Elliott, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Stefan Bajcetic, James Milner.

Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Bobby Clark, Ben Doak, Cody Gakpo.

Sidelined: Arthur Melo (muscle issue), Luis Diaz (knee), Diogo Jota (calf injury), Roberto Firmino (calf injury), Virgil van Dijk (hamstring).

Liverpool vs Chelsea will be on BT Sport. Fans without a BT subscription will be able to buy a monthly pass here.

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