Liverpool lineup vs. Tottenham – 4 more changes with Virgil van Dijk out?

Jurgen Klopp is likely to make more changes when Liverpool host Tottenham in their 36th Game of the Premier League season, with Virgil van Dijk set to miss out.

With only three Games left to play and their title hopes all but over, Klopp is hoping to see his side play without pressure.

It starts with the visit of Spurs on Sunday, which comes after failing to win three of their last four fixtures in the Premier League with losses to Crystal Palace and Everton and last weekend’s 2-2 draw at West Ham.

“That would be really cool if we could play really, really good Football again,” he said on Friday. “That would be absolutely nice because obviously we were very tense in the last few weeks.”

So how could Liverpool line up against Tottenham at Anfield?

 

Team News

Following Klopp’s brilliant pre-match press conference, we know the following:

• Virgil van Dijk is a major doubt having missed training in the week
• Conor Bradley is back in full training but Diogo Jota is still out
• Joel Matip, Thiago and Ben Doak remain absent

 

Liverpool’s XI vs. Tottenham

Liverpool were far from their best last time out at West Ham, which ended a busy run of fixtures that saw Klopp rotate his squad throughout.

That rotation is likely to end with only three more Games to play in the space of two weeks, and it could see the manager revert to his strongest side on paper.

However, the possible absence of Van Dijk does still present a conundrum. We could see:

• Ibrahima Konate come in as replacement for Van Dijk
• Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones restored to midfield
• First-choice attack of Mo Salah, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez back

Those changes would leave this lineup:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Quansah, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Diaz, Nunez

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However, given Liverpool’s shaky form and the question marks over whether or not Van Dijk will miss out, the lineup is certainly not set in stone.

It is certainly doubtful whether the likes of Konate, Jones and Nunez are deserving of their places, which could see tough decisions made:

• If fit, Van Dijk to partner Jarell Quansah at centre-back
• Ryan Gravenberch a deserving starter over Jones
• Similarly, Cody Gakpo to keep his place over the misfiring Nunez

This would see the following Liverpool XI:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo

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Klopp’s belief in the squad and the notion of ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ does suggest that we are more likely to see as close to Liverpool’s first-choice XI as possible on Sunday.

But there is still a chance of surprises when the teamsheet is released, with Gravenberch and Gakpo certainly ones to look out for.