Liverpool finally returns to Premier League action later, after a winter break and commitments in the League Cup and FA Cup. Both of those assignments were completed successfully — and this meeting with Chelsea will be a dry run for the final of the former competition next month.
It will also be the first Premier League encounter since Jürgen Klopp announced he would be leaving Liverpool. He already got a taste against Norwich of the Anfield reception he will get for the rest of the season, but a big league game under the lights could see it ramped up even further.
Yet Klopp will be very keen for that not to become a distraction. Chelsea took points off Liverpool on the opening day, a result that has only been made to look worse over time, and it’s vital that the Reds make the most of home advantage to improve its standing in the ‘big six’ mini-league in the second part of the campaign.
The Liverpool boss is starting to get players back from injury. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai both made their returns off the bench against Norwich, as too did Andy Robertson — who had also been deemed fit enough to be names as a substitute in the previous match.
Robertson must surely be getting closer to a start, although the form of Joe Gomez means there is certainly no rush. Alexander-Arnold and Szoboszlai have been absent for far shorter periods, and should be ready to start against Chelsea.
Meanwhile, there has been some big news on the Thiago Alcântara front. He has been missing for the best part of a year, but was pictured in team training ahead of the Chelsea match.
Klopp has tempered expectations, insisting he will still ‘need time’. But this is clearly a boost, increasing the chances that we will see the Spaniard play some part in the Liverpool run-in ahead of the expiry of his contract in the summer.
There’s still no sign of his compatriot, Stefan Bajčetić, who has also been missing for effectively the whole season. He very briefly returned, but suffered another setback.
Klopp will also be without long-term absentees Joël Matip and Ben Doak, while Kostas Tsimikas is not fit yet either. Wataru Endō is away at the Asian Cup; Egypt is out of the African Cup of Nations, but Mohamed Salah picked up an injury there, which will see him miss out.
There’s no doubt that Klopp has the players necessary to secure a result, breaking a long sequence of draws in this fixture. Here Liverpool.com brings you the full list of players available to the manager as the Reds look to cement their place on top of the Premier League.
Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker, Caoimhín Kelleher, Adrián.
Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Midfielders: Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Ryan Gravenberch.
Forwards:Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Núñez, Diogo Jota.
Players who are injured: Thiago Alcântara, Stefan Bajčetić, Kostas Tsimikas, Joël Matip, Ben Doak, Mohamed Salah.
Players who are unavailable: Wataru Endō (international duty).
