The latest team news, injury updates and predicted XI ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League showdown with Sheffield United.
Liverpool will look to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League when they welcome struggling Sheffield United to Anfield on Thursday night – but Jürgen Klopp will once again have to make do without several key first-team players.
Elsewhere, Klopp has a near complete set of midfielders to choose from, with the only other omissions likely to be long-term absentees Thiago Alcântra (hamstring) and Stefan Bajčetić (calf), neither of whom are expected to feature again over the course of the campaign.
Andrew Robertson missed the weekend win over Brighton & Hove Albion with an ankle injury while the likes of Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold have yet to return from fitness issues of their own. In total, as many as nine members of the first-team squad could be unavailable.
Liverpool will still be expected to win at a canter, of course, but we’ve got all of the latest injury news and updates below for you, as well as our best guess at Klopp’s likely starting XI.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Robertson picked up an ankle injury during Scotland’s defeat to Northern Ireland over the international break, and Klopp decided not to take a chance on him in the 2-1 win over Brighton despite his return to training prior to the match.
The German head coach said that Robertson “trained completely normal but we don’t take any kind of risks when we don’t have to.” Robertson is believed to have continued full training ahead of Thursday’s game.
Elsewhere, Alexander-Arnold (knee) and Alisson (hamstring) remain injured despite hopes that they might be back in action after the international break. Full-back Alexander-Arnold told Sky Sports that he was “in the final stages” of his return to fitness and there is some chance that he features this week, but there is still not timeline for Alisson’s return. Joël Matip (cruciate ligament) is out for the rest of the season.
Midfield
Curtis Jones, who has been out of action since February’s injury-strewn win over Brentford, is closing in on a return but it remains unclear as to whether he will be available this week. Klopp has said that he is “not sure if [Jones] is available, but will be in training.”
A place on the bench, at least, is a possibility, although given Klopp’s comments on Robertson is seems unlikely that he will be risked if not absolutely necessary.
