The fourth-placed Reds cannot afford to drop points against a dangerous Leicester City side!
Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho (L) and Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez (Photos: AFP)
Liverpool take on host Leicester City in a massive Premier League tie at Anfield on Saturday night and both their managers have updated on their respective side’s injuries.
Currently fourth in the Premier League table, Liverpool have the perfect opportunity to put some distance between themselves and fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur (who do not play on Matchday 21).
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed that skipper Jordan Henderson (hamstring) and fullback Alberto Moreno (ankle) are definitely out of Saturday’s clash and are expected to return in the middle of January.
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Daniel Sturridge, who has been struggling with a muscular issue of late, is a doubt while there is no return date yet for long-term absentee Nathaniel Clyne (back).
Adam Lallana is in contention to start his first league game of the season, while winger Sadio Mane is expected to be restored to the starting XI after being rested for their thumping win over Swansea in mid-week.
Liverpool broke the world record (for a defender) to sign centre-back Virgil van Djik from Southampton but the Dutchman is ineligible to play until the transfer window official opens on January 1, 2018.
Probable lineup (4-3-3 formation): Simon Mignolet, Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.
The Foxes had been on a good run before two defeats and a draw in their last three games has scuppered their rise up the table.
Still, Claude Puel’s men will travel to Anfield with confidence of getting a positive result against a side that have shown frailties at the back.
With 10th-placed Everton hot on their tail, the Foxes are under pressure to maintain their hold on 9th spot and close the gap between themselves and 7th-ranked Burnley.
Key defender Danny Simpson has not travelled with the squad due to a hamstring injury and is still a few weeks away from returning to first-team action.
Central defender Robert Huth (ankle) is another injury casualty and the veteran will not feature against the Reds as well but their is good news for Leicester as Daniel Amartey is available after serving a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Kasper Schmeichel, Harry Maguire, Wesley Morgan, Ben Chilwell, Christian Fuchs, Joshua King, Vicente Iborra, Shinki Okazaki, Marc Albrighton, Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy.
Match starts at 1500 GMT/20.30 IST.
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