OPINION
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is expected to drop the axe on two stars of Saturday’s victory over Bournemouth for Tuesday’s trip to face Red Bull Salzburg.
The German was dealing with a few niggling injuries at the weekend, but saw Joe Gomez and Naby Keita both come into the team and deliver fine performances.
The latter, in particular, excelled and it was great to see him back on the scoresheet. However, Klopp is likely to bring Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane in for the duo on Tuesday.
Gomez and, particularly, Keita may feel aggrieved to only get a spot on the bench, but Klopp needs to manage his squad correctly and will surely lean on big match experience for this crunch Champions League tie.
Alisson returned from his suspension against Bournemouth and put in his usual assured display. The Brazilian international will almost certainly keep his place in Austria.
At right back, Gomez did pretty well on Saturday. However, there is no disputing that Alexander-Arnold is the main man, and so he will surely return here. On the opposite side of the defence, meanwhile, Andrew Robertson can expect to start as well.
Dejan Lovren came off with an injury on Saturday, but was included in the squad for the trip to Salzburg. Klopp adores the Croatian and so he will surely keep his spot. Virgil van Dijk will most likely start next to him at centre back.
Keita likely being dropped will most probably see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain drop back into the midfield three, alongside captain Jordan Henderson and veteran stalwart James Milner.
The team’s typical front three will almost certainly be reinstated, with key man Mane surely replacing Keita and lining up alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the final third.
