Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League clash with Crystal Palace presents Jurgen Klopp with a selection headache. The Reds suffered a surprising 3-0 defeat at the hands of Atalanta in the Europa League, adding to their recent dropped points against Manchester United in the league. Failing to secure a win against Palace would be disastrous for Liverpool.
Fortunately, there don’t seem to be any new injury concerns for Klopp’s side. This means they have a strong squad to choose from as they look to bounce back from their recent setbacks. However, there are a few doubts regarding the availability of some key players.
Stefan Bajcetic played for Liverpool’s U21s on Friday night, which suggests that he is unlikely to be involved in the clash against Palace. On the other hand, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Diogo Jota could all be in contention for the game.
Alexander-Arnold and Jota were on the bench for the Atalanta match, with Jota even making an appearance in the second half. However, Klopp admitted that there was “no chance” of Alexander-Arnold being able to play. Nevertheless, Alisson, who did not feature in the midweek game, has returned to full training and could potentially be included in the squad.
Unfortunately, Joel Matip, Thiago, and Ben Doak are still long-term absentees and are unlikely to feature in the final month of the season. They join a list of only a few players who are currently unavailable for Klopp.
Klopp has also mentioned that Curtis Jones has been suffering from fatigue since returning from injury, so it would be surprising to see him start against Palace. Similarly, Bajcetic, Jayden Danns, and Lewis Koumas all played for the U21s in their victory against Manchester United and are therefore unlikely to be considered for the senior team.
Considering all these factors, here is Liverpool’s available squad for the Crystal Palace match:
Goalkeepers: Alisson*, Kelleher, Adrian, Mrozek
Defenders: Van Dijk, Gomez, Konate, Quansah, Robertson, Tsimikas, Bradley, Alexander-Arnold*
Midfielders: Mac Allister, Jones, Endo, Szoboszlai, Elliott, Gravenberch, McConnell, Clark
Forwards: Salah, Nunez, Jota, Diaz, Gakpo
* Doubts
It remains to be seen how Klopp will navigate his selection headache and make the necessary changes from the midweek game. Liverpool will be hoping to bounce back strongly against Crystal Palace and regain their winning momentum in the Premier League.