Liverpool is set to face Wolves in the Premier League, and Jürgen Klopp will have to contend with at least two missing players at Molineux, with Trent Alexander-Arnold being one of them.
Liverpool has a chance to secure the top spot in the Premier League table, albeit temporarily, as they face Wolves in an early game at Molineux. However, Jürgen Klopp expressed his displeasure with the decision to schedule the match in the first slot of the weekend for television purposes.
He pointed out in his press conference that several South American players in his team, including Alisson Becker, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Núñez, and Luis Díaz, will have less than 24 hours to recover from international duty before the match begins.
While Alisson did not play for Brazil and is likely to be available, decisions must be made regarding the other three South American players. Fortunately, Liverpool has alternative options in attack with Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo.
In case of need, Wataru Endō could fill in at the base of Liverpool’s midfield in place of Mac Allister, and other midfield options include Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai. Stefan Bajčetić, who recently returned from a five-month injury lay-off while playing for Spain’s U21s, is unlikely to start.
With Virgil van Dijk suspended and Trent Alexander-Arnold nursing a hamstring injury, Liverpool may have to reintroduce Ibrahima Konaté into the starting lineup after his recovery from an injury. Joe Gomez may play as a right-back, which will require a different approach as Gomez’s playing style differs from Alexander-Arnold’s creativity.
Andy Robertson is expected to play, and Klopp is more likely to make changes on Thursday when Liverpool faces LASK in the Europa League, providing opportunities for players like Kostas Tsimikas and Harvey Elliott.
Here is the full list of available players for the manager as Liverpool aims for its fourth consecutive league win on Saturday:
Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker, Caoimhín Kelleher, Adrián.
Defenders: Ibrahima Konaté, Joël Matip, Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas.
Midfielders: Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endō, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Stefan Bajčetić.
Forwards: Luis Díaz, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Núñez, Diogo Jota.
Players who are injured: Thiago Alcântara, Trent Alexander-Arnold.