Liverpool’s opening leg of their round of 16 matches against Sparta Prague takes place on Thursday at 5.45 p.m. when they return to Europa League play
Due to the club’s chronic injury crisis, Jurgen Klopp may be obliged to start three Liverpool players against Sparta Prague that he would like to rest. For the first time since December, the Reds will play in the Europa League when they visit the leaders of the Czech First League in Prague.
Round of 16 matchup between the two teams and group winners The benefit of hosting the rematch at Anfield was handed to Liverpool. Given what his team has in store for them this weekend in the Premier League, Klopp would have preferred to completely rotate his squad.
Following their Thursday night (5.45 pm) match against Sparta in Prague, Liverpool will play their massive Sunday afternoon matchup against Premier League title rivals Manchester City at Anfield (3.45 pm). Due to injuries, Klopp is now without ten players, but he is holding out hope that top scorer Mohamed Salah will be available for this weekend’s match.
Alisson, the starting goalkeeper, Trent Alexander-Arnold, the first-choice right-back, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara, the in-form attacker Diogo Jota, and depth alternatives are among the other players. Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Stefan Bajcetic, and Ryan Gravenberch are still sidelined due to injuries.
This implies that Klopp has less flexibility than he would like. Since January 31, Virgil van Dijk, the captain, can be expected to start nine straight games. Jarell Quansah is almost guaranteed to start, and Joe Gomez, Van Dijk, and Ibrahima Konate are the possible starting companions.
As they did in the most recent FA Cup victory over Southampton, Klopp may ask Van Dijk and Konate to split 45 minutes apiece. The possibility of the new “Mr Versatile” Gomez starting at right back is one reason for this. Conor Bradley has played 397 of 480 potential minutes and started each of the previous five games.
Having the right-back fill in at his best against City might be crucial because he has been a major influence. Bradley might therefore be better off making a late appearance in the Europa League from the bench.
Klopp might also need to start Darwin Nunez and Wataru Endo in addition to Van Dijk. In the 60th minute of the late victory over Nottingham Forest, the two made their way back from knocks. However, Klopp intends to start both players against City, and the German manager might give the two 60-minute run-outs at Stadion Letna to make sure they are fully prepared for the treble-winners at Anfield.
Ideally, the two would be rested or merely late substitutes in the middle of the week. However, they both can be chosen to start because they require minutes in their legs for rhythm following time out. Endo might give young players James McConnell and Bobby Clark the experience in midfield while giving Alexis Mac Allister a break.
Dominik Szoboszlai, who played just 14 minutes at Forest, will be ready for another cameo as a replacement. If Salah is well enough to start against the Citizens, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott may start alongside Nunez in the attack, though they are probably bench alternatives.
Given their timetable, Klopp will be under extreme pressure to carefully manage his team. However, there’s a chance that he’ll be forced to start some players on the eve of the City game that he would usually rather rest. But Liverpool’s fringe and youth players have already shown in recent games that they can easily stand up to the role wherever he does rotate.
Possible starting lineup for Liverpool against Sparta Prague: Kelleher; Endo, McConnell, Clark; Elliott, Nunez, Gakpo; Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas
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