Europe
Jurgen Klopp has problem with six Liverpool players ahead of Inter Milan clash
Jurgen Klopp has problem with six Liverpool players ahead of Inter Milan clash
Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp could not have asked for a better start to the Champions after his side first leg 2-0 win over Serie A champions Inter Milan at San Siro three weeks ago.
However, with the German looking to qualify for the quarter-finals, he still has three issues to worry about due to the excellent depth of squad the Reds boast.
Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino scored to send the travelling Reds supporters into ecstasy what was one of Liverpool’s toughest fixtures of the season so far.
All attention will be at Anfield for the Tuesday, all-important clash as Inter Milan look to bounce back from the defeat and possibly cause an upset.
A very tough task for Simone Inzaghi’s men who barely troubled Liverpool’s backline in the first leg.
Klopp is faced with several selection headaches ahead of the second leg, in which he may rotate his team slightly in some positions to save fresh legs for the Premier League tie against Brighton on Saturday.
Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, and Virgil van Dijk are all set to start in the heart of defence and will be the men tasked with the job of keeping out Inter’s dangerous attack that includes Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez.
However, Klopp has a dilemma as to who will partner Dutch star Van Dijk at center-back.
Joel Matip has been preferred to Ibrahima Konate for the majority of the season, with the Cameroon international producing regularly solid performances.
He is a doubt for Tuesday’s game, having missed the 1-0 win over West Ham on Saturday with illness.
Liverpool defeated Inter Milan 2-0 in the first leg of the encounter at San Siro. (Getty Images)
Konate man of the match performance in the first leg could earn him an automatic place as the Frenchman knew exactly how to deal with the Inter attack, which could well see him start alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Elsewhere, Fabinho and Naby Keita’s stellar performances of late will likely give them a nod against the tricky Inter threat.
But Liverpool’s depth in midfield has given Klopp food for thought ahead of the encounter.
Thiago Alcantara is fit again and could return to the squad after missing the last two games.
Also with the front three, there is a tough decision to make.
Mohamed Salah’s prowess means he will almost certainly start on the right-wing.
But Luis Diaz’s great start to life at Anfield alongside Sadio Mané and Diogo Jota’s excellent form means one of the trio will miss out.
And that is most likely Jota, as the Portuguese star has missed two of Liverpool’s last three games with an ankle injury. He could instead start in Brighton at the weekend.
In other news, Champions League: Liverpool vs. Inter Milan Predicted starting XI: Preview, team news, injury update & more
