Liverpool could face a midfield shortage for their Champions League clash away at Real Madrid after Jordan Henderson and Stefan Bajcetic both missed the Reds’ latest training session.
Alongside the missing duo, Thiago Alcantara is still absent with a hip injury, while Luis Diaz is not yet ready to return as he continues to train individually. However, Joe Gomez is back in contention after returning to team training.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have it all to do at the Bernabeu after being thrashed 5-2 at Anfield by the La Liga giants last month. And while the young Spaniard was at least later part of the travelling party to Madrid, their task has still been made more difficult by the absence of senior options.
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Needing a miracle result to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, while also looking to bounce back from Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth, we take a look at the side Klopp could pick…
Gomez returns to squad
Joe Gomez hasn’t featured for Liverpool since being forced off with a hamstring injury in their 5-2 defeat to Real Madrid, but he was back in training on Tuesday at the AXA Training Centre.
As a result, the England international is likely to return to the matchday squad at the Bernabeu. However, he’ll have to make do with a place on the bench.
While the Reds’ defence struggled away at Bournemouth, it would still be a surprise to see Jurgen Klopp make any changes. Joel Matip and Kostas Tsimikas are options if he does rotate.
Baptism of fire for new-look midfield
With Jordan Henderson and Stefan Bajcetic both absent from training, Klopp might have to name a rather different-looking midfield against Real Madrid. Fabinho is on press conference duties so the Brazilian looks certain to start against his former club, while the teenager did at least travel to Madrid with the reason for his training absence currently unclear.
Harvey Elliott looks set to retain his place, despite being withdrawn at half-time at the Vitality Stadium, while Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Curtis Jones all trained and are available for selection after not making the matchday squad against Bournemouth.
However, given the trio’s limited game-time in recent weeks, veteran James Milner is perhaps better-placed to start if Bajcetic only makes the bench. If selected, he will captain the side. Meanwhile, Arthur Melo is ineligible having been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad for the second half of the season.
Unchanged front three
With Liverpool’s trip to Real Madrid their last match until they take on Man City on April 1 after the March international break, Klopp is expected to stick with Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez in attack.
Diogo Jota is best-placed to come into the side if the German does make a change, while Roberto Firmino is also in contention. But while the aforementioned attacking trio floundered at Bournemouth, Klopp will be hoping they are back in the goals at the Bernabeu as the Reds look to overturn their three-goal deficit.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Milner; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.
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