Atalanta vs Liverpool: Early team news and injury updates
Jurgen Klopp and his players travel out to Italy tomorrow morning ahead of their crunch Europa League Quarter-Final second leg. But which players are fit and who will Klopp pick for this must-win game?
When the draw for the Europa League Quarter-Finals was made several weeks ago, many Liverpool fans (us included) were very happy with the draw, and our chances of progressing to the Semi-Finals and beyond.
Fast forward several weeks and Jurgen Klopp takes his team to Bergamo, knowing that they must perform another minor miracle, if they are to keep their European dreams alive, after a dismal display in the first leg at Anfield last week, which saw the Italians secure a commanding 3 - 0 lead. Yet despite the scoreline and the subsequent defeat against Crystal Palace on Sunday, Liverpool fans heading to the Sadio de Bergamo know that when Liverpool are involved, anything is possible, with Jurgen Klopp turning "doubters into believers" on more than one occasion.
If Liverpool are to overturn the first-leg deficit, Klopp will need everyone to perform to their best, but which players are fit, and who will he pick when so many players are out of form? Read on below, as we assess who should start, and who needs to be benched.
Injured Players
Although Liverpool's injury problems have eased considerably in the last couple of weeks, there are still a few first-team players who are unavailable to Klopp and won't travel to Italy. These include long-term absentees, Thiago, Joel Matip, and Ben Doak. Young Spanish midfielder Stefan Bajcetic made the squad for last week's game but is still working his way back to full fitness, so is unlikely to start in Italy. Another youngster, Conor Bradley, left the Palace game with an ankle injury, with early reports suggesting he may not play again this season (if he has damaged his ankle ligaments). Klopp will provide further details at his press conference on Wednesday, but it is unlikely that Bradley will be available for Thursday's game.
Klopp's 23-man squad for Atalanta vs Liverpool
As per UEFA rules, Jurgen Klopp can select a 23-man squad for Thursday's match, with LFC - Back On Our Perch expecting the following players to be on the plane to Italy.
Goalkeepers
Alisson, Kelleher, Adrian
Defenders
Van Dijk, Gomez, Quansah, Konate, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Tsimikas
Midfielders
Endo, Mac Allister, Szobosklai, Jones, Elliott, Gravenberch, Clark
Attackers
Salah, Diaz, Nunez, Gakpo, Jota, Danns
Who makes Liverpool's Starting XI?
Ordinarily, when everyone is fit and in form, Liverpool's starting XI picks itself, but with so many players out of form, Klopp has a few big decisions to make.
Goalkeeper
Caoimhin Kelleher has performed admirably over the past couple of months, helping us win the Carabao Cup in February, and making numerous world-class saves in important matches, but it was always going to be the case that once fit, Alisson would resume as the no.1 keeper, which is what happened against Crystal Palace on Sunday. However, Klopp always plays fair by his players, and Kelleher is the designated Cup 'keeper, so I am expecting Klopp to pick the young Irishman on Thursday.
Defence
Liverpool has struggled to keep clean sheets recently, but on Thursday they simply can't afford to concede any more goals, so the back four must improve. Virgil Van Dijk is guaranteed to start, as is Robertson at left-back (with Tsimikas having the worst game of his Liverpool career in the first leg), but the other two positions are more difficult to predict. Ordinarily, Konate would partner Van Dijk in central defence, but he has been inconsistent recently, while Joe Gomez also had a shocker in the first leg. That leads me to pick young Jarell Quansah to partner Van Dijk, despite the importance of the match, with the returning Alexander-Arnold starting at right-back.
Midfielder
Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister have been brilliant all season, but they have both dipped at just the wrong moment, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones also struggling after recent injuries. Ryan Gravenberch is still to find his feet at Anfield, while Harvey Elliott works best as an attacker, leaving Klopp with something of a headache in midfield. On paper, Endo, Mac Allister, and Szoboszlai all start, but I think Klopp might stick with the midfield that started on Sunday, meaning Curtis Jones again gets the nod ahead of the Hungarian.
Attack
Liverpool need to score at least three goals in normal time, so Salah, Diaz, and co need to find their shooting boots on Thursday night. Salah is sure to start, but I would be tempted to rest Nunez and play Elliott or Gakpo from the start. Gakpo has been out of form himself recently, but he looked to be playing himself back into form on Sunday. At the same time, Elliott has a great understanding with Salah, and offers a more controlled, creative element to the attack, compared to the chaotic, full-throttle style of Nunez and Diaz. I would therefore play Diaz on the left, Salah through the middle, and start with Elliott on the right, with both Jota and Nunez to come off the bench in the second half if needed. There is an argument to start Jota, but Liverpool need to be careful with the Portuguese forward, given his long-running injury problems.
Join us tomorrow after Jurgen Klopp has given his Atalanta v Liverpool pre-match press conference, when we will have more information about Liverpool's injured players, and an insight into his Starting XI.
If you liked the article 'Atalanta vs Liverpool: Early team news and injury updates', please share this page with your friends, or leave a comment below.
For all the latest Liverpool FC news, visit our dedicated news page, where you'll find breaking news, match reports, transfer gossip, injury news, and so much more.
Looking to earn some extra money? Earn cash online by completing surveys, testing products, and playing mobile games with Swagbucks. Sign up for Free and start Earning today!
#LFC #Liverpool #LiverpoolFC #YNWA #TheReds #LFCBackOnOurPerch #Anfield #Football
... About The Author ...
Peter Farrell - Editor and Chief Article Writer, LFC - Back On Our Perch
Articles written by Author :: 558
Lifelong fan with a passion for all things Liverpool. First memory of football is watching John Barnes score a dramatic last minute equaliser in the FA Cup when he was 4. Feels lucky to be a part of the 'Klopp' era.
Other General News articles you might like to read...
- Arne Slot era starts with a winBy Peter Farrell20 August 2024Liverpool overcame a stubborn Ipswich Town to record another opening-day victory, thanks to second-half goals from Diogo Jota and Mo Salah. […]1 Comment
- Premier League football is backBy Peter Farrell16 August 2024After an extended summer break, the Premier League returns later today, as the 2024/25 season gets underway with Manchester United welcoming Fulham to Old Trafford. […]No Comments
- Every Liverpool player involved in Euro 2024By Peter Farrell20 June 2024Euro 2024 is in full swing, with twenty teams battling it out across the next two weeks, to determine the best team in Europe. […]No Comments
- Premier League Fixtures releasedBy Peter Farrell18 June 2024The fixtures for the 2024/25 Premier League season have been released today, with plenty of exciting games to look forward to on the opening weekend. […]No Comments
- Andy Robertson suffers Euro disappointmentBy Peter Farrell15 June 2024Andy Robertson's Scotland endured a difficult night on Friday, losing 5 - 1 to hosts Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024. […]No Comments
Affiliate Links & Disclaimer
This post may contains affiliate links, meaning, we promote products or services on external websites that we have used or know well and may receive a commission if you purchase them too (at no additional cost to you). This helps keep LFC - Back On Our Perch free to use. Our editorial decision making is not affected by the inclusion of such links.
*Please note that LFC - Back On Our Perch is a fan site and is not linked in any way to Liverpool FC. For the official Liverpool FC website please visit liverpoolfc.com