Liverpool has the chance to wrap up qualification from Europa League Group E tomorrow night. Only a win can guarantee progress with two games to spare — but the three points could even be enough to secure top spot, depending on the result in the group’s other fixture.
Will Jürgen Klopp duly go strong to try and get the job done? In truth, Liverpool doesn’t really have ‘weak’ teams this season, with the manager able to repeatedly rotate en masse while still fielding impressive sides.
So far, the Europa League has been the domain of the likes of Ryan Gravenberch, Harvey Elliott and Diogo Jota — it hasn’t exactly been a case of playing the Academy kids. And those who have made the step up from the youth ranks, most notably Jarell Quansah, have done so admirably.
After a 5-1 win at home, Klopp will no doubt have faith in a ‘rotated’ side to deliver another victory, even if things will be more complicated away from Anfield. Indeed, the notional first-choice team at the minute is fresh off the back of a disappointing draw with Luton, so perhaps this is a chance to fight for places.
In defense, Kostas Tsimikas will hope to get the chance to show he is a better Andy Robertson understudy than an out-of-position Joe Gomez. He may well be joined by Quansah, and presumably Joël Matip, with Gomez reverting to the right-sided role.
Looking at the middle of the park, Wataru Endō will feel there is a place up for grabs, with renewed questions over Alexis Mac Allister as a number six after the weekend’s draw. Ahead of him, Curtis Jones missed out against Luton with a ‘minor fitness issue’, which might see Gravenberch reprise his role, while Elliott is bound to be selected.
The only question is where the former Fulham youngster plays. Klopp has increasingly been using him in the Mohamed Salah role, and he may well want to give the Egyptian a break here, but the return to fitness of Ben Doak gives an alternative option. Struggling for league minutes of late, Cody Gakpo should start through the middle, with Jota completing the attack.
There’s a case for getting Darwin Núñez straight back out there to try and put a bad miss behind him, but he’s not exactly suffered when summoned from the bench this season. That should keep him fresh enough for Brentford.
Possible line-up vs Toulouse: Kelleher, Gomez, Matip, Quansah, Tsimikas; Endō, Gravenberch, Elliott; Doak, Gakpo, Jota.
