Decision Made By Dominik Szoboszlia And Mohamed Selah About......

Liverpool line-ups for Sparta Prague as Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai decisions made

This is probably one one of the most difficult teams of the season to pick given that Manchester City are to come on Sunday in that top-of-the-table clash.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists he is not prioritising fixtures right now but how can you not gaze towards Sunday’s match with concern given the injury crisis at present?

Klopp was coy over his plans for both Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai in his pre-match press conference but I think both get 45 minutes alongside Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk here. Jarell Quansah can play the full 90, as can Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas.

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In midfield, Bobby Clark starts once more to give Harvey Elliott a breather with Szoboszlai to come off the bench at half-time, all being well.

Salah doesn’t start for me either but gets some much-needed minutes as an impact sub. A draw is all an injury-hit Liverpool need here given the magnitude of the next 10 days or so.

My team (4-3-3): Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Quansah, Tsimikas; Endo, Clark, Mac Allister; Diaz, Gakpo, Nunez.

Ian Doyle – Mohamed Salah can appear at some point

Question: when is a big game not actually that big a game?

Answer: when it’s a Europa League round of 16 first leg tie and you have Manchester City at home in the Premier League a few days later.

Such is the case for Liverpool, who are at Sparta Prague this evening with more players available than have been for some time. What, then, is Jurgen Klopp to do?

Caoimhin Kelleher remains in goal, as he’s likely to for a good while. But there should be a change at left-back, where Kostas Tsimikas replaces Andy Robertson. There can be rotation at centre-back also, with Jarell Quansah coming in. Virgil van Dijk can start alongside the youngster and be replaced at half-time by Ibrahima Konate. Conor Bradley is the right-back with Joe Gomez having a rest.

In midfield, Wataru Endo can come back as the number six and Dominik Szoboszlai start on the right with Bobby Clark to his left. Szoboszlai is another who just needs 45 minutes.

Up front, there’s a little less wriggle room, but Darwin Nunez can begin the game down the middle with Cody Gakpo on the left and Harvey Elliott on the right. Mohamed Salah can appear at some point, probably the last 20 minutes.

My team (4-3-3): Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Endo, Szoboszlai, Clark; Elliott, Nunez, Gakpo.

Theo Squires – His inclusion against City is far too important to risk jeopardising here

While you’d be forgiven for having Manchester City on the mind ahead of Sunday’s top-of-the-table Premier League clash at Anfield, Liverpool must navigate an Europa League trip to Sparta Prague first.

Traditionally, Jurgen Klopp has rotated his side for their European exploits this season, with that perhaps even more favourable with Pep Guardiola’s men lurking in the distance. But the Reds’ hefty injury list means that is easier said than done, while they also could do without putting out a side strong enough to bring a first-leg lead back to Anfield.

Mohamed Salah might have returned to training, but having already suffered one setback when attempting to return from a hamstring injury at Brentford last month, he can make his comeback as a substitute in Prague. His inclusion against City is far too important to risk jeopardising here.

Harvey Elliott can continue on the right as a result, safe in the knowledge that despite recent jadedness, he can be withdrawn for Salah at some point in the second half. Sunday’s match-winner, Darwin Nunez, starts down the middle while Luis Diaz continues on the left.