Predicted Liverpool Line-up To Face Maribor In The Champions League
Liverpool face Maribor at Anfield in the Champions League on Wednesday and they are expected to comfortably beat the Slovenian outfit once again. In the previous matchday, the Reds registered a thumping 7-0 win away against the same opposition. They are expected to show the same kind of dominance once again and if they do, they are likely to go top of their group if the other match between Spartak Moscow and Sevilla ends in a draw. However, Jurgen Klopp has a history of rotating his team for Cup and European competitions and he is expected to do the same for this game as well.
Team news
Liverpool will be without long-term injury absentees Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Nathaniel Clyne. Philippe Coutinho is a major doubt due to an adductor muscle problem and Danny Ward would be unavailable as well, as he sustained a back injury mid-week. Dejan Lovren will not play a part as he suffered a groin injury during the warm-up before the game against Huddersfield Town.
Here is how Liverpool might line up against Maribor:
Manager: Jurgen Klopp
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Loris Karius, Germany
Karius has been Klopp’s go-to goalkeeper in the Champions League this season. With 3 clean sheets in the 3 games he has featured in, the German keeper will be eager to extend the run against a much-weaker opposition.
Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold, England
His goal against Hoffenheim on matchday 2 caught the eye of a lot of fans. He is expected to start as right-back and a good performance will further boost the 19-year-old’s credentials.
Centre-backs: Joe Gomez, England and Joel Matip, Cameroon
Joel Matip is absoultely vital for Liverpool’s defence and is a sure starter given that he is the best defender in the team by a distance. Joe Gomez looks promising and should get a start here against a weak Maribor team.
Left-back: Andrew Robertson, Scotland
Alberto Moreno has improved massively this season and has kept Andrew Robertson out of the team, despite the Scot’s impressive performances in the limited opportunities he has recieved. However, Robertson should get the nod here against Maribor.
Central Midfield: Jordan Henderson, England; Emre Can, Germany and Georginio Wijnaldum, Holland
The three-man midfield of Henderson, Can, and Wijnaldum has the perfect combination of tactical smartness, pace, and skills. Can could be given the role to orchestrate the game from a deeper position while Henderson and Wijnaldum could look to bomb forward and create havoc.
Right Wing: Mohamed Salah, Egypt
3 goals and 1 assist in 3 Champions League games make for good reading and Salah has certainly come good for Liverpool this season. The Egyptian will look to add to his tally and he is certain to do so, given his skills on the ball.
Left Wing: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, England
With Coutinho set to miss out, it could be Oxlade-Chamberlain’s turn to grab the headlines. The struggling Englishman got himself on the score sheet against Maribor in the previous outing and would look forward to putting in a good shift if given the opportunity.
Centre-forward: Daniel Sturridge, England
Firmino has been the preferred choice this season but this could be the right time for Klopp to give Sturridge a run out. The Englishman would welcome the chance to start the game and will surely be motivated to grab the starting place from the grasp of Roberto Firmino.