Liverpool are next up against Fulham in the League Cup, and Jurgen Klopp has some selection problems.
Liverpool delivered a statement victory at Arsenal, securing their spot in the FA Cup’s final 32.
Jakub Kiwior’s own goal and a Luis Diaz strike sealed a 2-0 victory for the Reds against Arsenal, their first in the tournament in over 60 years.
PHOTO:Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool will now focus on the League Cup, with the first leg of the semi-finals against Fulham at home on Wednesday. And here, we look ahead to the adjustments Jurgen Klopp may make when his squad returns to play.
While Klopp rotated significantly during the League Cup’s early stages, he stepped up for the quarter-final victory against West Ham United before Christmas. And with such a long list of unavailable players, there may not be much room for the Liverpool manager to do differently against Fulham.
Caoimhin Kelleher, a League Cup expert, will take over as goalkeeper from Alisson Becker. The centre-back position will be influenced by whether Virgil van Dijk recovers from the sickness that caused him to miss the game against Arsenal.
Jarell Quansah will be on standby to fill in for Ibrahima Konate, although Joe Gomez might be a possibility with Joel Matip out for the season. Nat Phillips has also resumed training after returning from a loan at Celtic.
That, however, will be impacted by Gomez’s continued play at left-back, since Owen Beck, returned from his loan at Scottish Premiership club Dundee, is now available after serving a historic one-match ban. Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas are injured, while youthful Luke Chambers was on the bench at the Emirates.
And, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is the initial choice at right-back, Conor Bradley’s impressive cameo at the weekend suggested he is vying for a starting spot if Alexander-Arnold is needed in midfield.
Jones question
Alexis MacAllister returned as Arsenal’s number six, and with Wataru Endo away on international duty, he is the club’s only committed defensive midfielder. Curtis Jones and Alexander-Arnold played in the position at intervals against Arsenal and are potential options, while youngster James McConnell is a reserve.
Jones has started the previous few games on the left side of the midfield ahead of Ryan Gravenberch, while Cody Gakpo slid out of the attack to slot in on the right, prompting Harvey Elliott to transfer from right flank to his more familiar engine room position.
Bobby Clark, a teenager, came off the bench at the Emirates, and 16-year-old Trey Nyoni was among the replacements. Dominik Szoboszlai, Thiago Alcantara, and Stefan Bajcetic are all sidelined.
Diaz right?
During the 90 minutes at Arsenal, Klopp illustrated that there are numerous methods to acclimate to life without Mohamed Salah, some of which are more effective.
All four senior attackers – Gakpo, Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Diogo Jota – can play on the left flank, and all but Diaz have started on the right. The Colombian impressed when switched to the right in the second half on Sunday, despite Jota has previously played in that position. Elliott is another option, as is youngster Kaide Gordon.
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