Liverpool face Leicester City again on Saturday after losing to the Foxes in the Carabao Cup earlier this week. Liverpool will be looking for revenge, no make that Liverpool need revenge in this game. Having not won a game in their previous four, the critic vultures are circling above Anfield. The Reds need to go on the road and get a result. How will they do that, what lineup changes will they make? Here is my proposed lineup with reasons why:
Goalkeeper: Mignolet
Look for Simon Mignolet to be back in net for Jurgen Klopp. Klopp has previously indicated Mignolet will be his "Premier League" keeper and there is no reason to doubt he will be between the sticks on Saturday.
Defense: Moreno, Klavan, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold
Is it crisis mode yet for Klopp's defense? Not quite. But, the mistakes and mental breakdowns need to end and a full 90 minutes is critical. It doesn't help that the two starting center backs may be unable to play due to injury. Lovren is most likely out with a back injury. Matip may be able to go but it is looking more and more likely that Klopp may have to go with Klavan and Joe Gomez. If Joel Matip can go, look for him to start in place of Klavan. Alberto Moreno will be back on the left side and Alexander-Arnold out right. All eyes will be on this group.
Midfield: Coutinho, Henderson, Can
Klopp has several options at both midfield and attack. With Mane set to miss his third match due to the red card ban, some suggest Coutinho should be on the wing. I disagree and Coutinho needs to play in the midfield. The first half of the Carabao Cup match was dominated by Coutinho. He was the creative playmaker that Liverpool supporters have loved and showed why Liverpool were desperate to keep him at Anfield. Coutinho did just about everything except finish, as he continues to knock the rust off from his absence. Look for Coutinho to start in the midfield and to control the tempo of the match. Emre Can has returned to fit late this week and should be ready to go. I give Can the nod over Wijnaldum, who has a tendency to go into hiding on road matches. Jordan Henderson mans the middle. The Captain has not been in good form and outside of the CBs is probably the player with the most pressure on him. Playing in the #6 role, Henderson needs to provide more coverage and support for the back four. He also needs to step up as a leader. I expect a big game from Henderson.
Attack: Firmino, Sturridge, Salah
Again, Klopp has his options on the front line. With Mane out again, Liverpool need to maintain a strong attack. Two options would be to have Coutinho fill in for Mane, or to use Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the wing. Instead, I think Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino both need to be in the lineup, with Sturridge in the middle and Firmino taking the wing. Firmino has played wide previously and is more than capable. But Sturridge is key in this game for me. In the past two games, Liverpool have created many scoring opportunities with little to show for their effort. In those two games, the Reds had 48 shots but only 1 goal. Daniel Sturridge is Liverpool's truest finisher and they need his ability to find the back of the net more then ever.
With this lineup, I expect Liverpool to bounce back and get the result they need. My prediction, 3-1 Liverpool. However, I'd feel much more comfortable if Matip is able to go. What do you think? What changes would you make and why? React now!