Liverpool travel to the London Stadium on Wednesday night to play West Ham United. This is the first time the clubs will meet this season, as the game was delayed due to Liverpool’s World Cup commitments. Liverpool will be missing Sadio Mane, as the Senegalese winger is injured.
No Sadio Mane for Liverpool
Divock Origi to Replace Sadio Mane
Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino will take up their regular spots in attack, though Sadio Mane is injured and won’t join them. It is likely that Divock Origi will replace him as Klopp has often utilised him on the left of the front three and Takumi Minamino is still getting up to speed. Curtis Jones could be a surprise option, as he was one of few to genuinely impress against Shrewsbury.
Xherdan Shaqiri has also been plagued by fitness issues all season, so it is unlikely that he will replace Mane. Liverpool will hope that Mane returns sooner rather than later, as the squad players struggled against Shrewsbury.
Liverpool Perfect Without Fabinho
Fabinho will be included in a Premier League squad for the first time since returning from injury. However, the Reds have won every game in his absence, so he faces a fight to regain his starting berth. Fabinho also looked rusty against Shrewsbury Town, suggesting that he will start on the bench.
Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum have been hugely impressive this season. Both have become guaranteed starters in Klopp’s midfield. This means there is a third spot up for grabs. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently the man in possession of this spot and will not be giving it up easily. Adam Lallana and Naby Keita, who has recently returned from injury, are the other options for Klopp. James Milner remains absent through injury.
Gomez and Van Dijk is the Way Forward
It has become a rare sight to see Liverpool concede with the defensive set up of Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson.
The abject showings of Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip in the FA Cup will have gone even further to assuring Gomez of his role as the first-choice partner to Van Dijk. All 5 of this defensive unit were rested against Shrewsbury, so there is no reason for them not to start.
Predicted XI: Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi.
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