Liverpool FC supporters, do you want the good news or the bad news first? Ok, good news- the squad is getting very healthy, and pretty soon you’ll have Alisson Becker and Stefan Bajcetic back in the mix. Plus, Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold returned to the squad yesterday, and look poised to assume a larger role again soon.
As for that match in which Trent and Jota returned, well that is the bad news.
Liverpool FC vs Crystal Palace FYIs
Kick-off: Sunday April 14, 2pm local, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Liverpool Preview Content: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Google Result Probability: Liverpool victory 81% Draw 12% Crystal Palace victory 7%
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
PL Form: Liverpool DWWDW Crystal Palace LLDDL
PL Standing: Liverpool 2nd 71 pts Crystal Palace 14th, 30 pts
Liverpool Team News
“It just was a really bad game, oh my god,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said of his side’s 3-0 shellacking at the hands of Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals last night.
“We started well, really well, and then didn’t continue. I think even before they scored, we just lost the plot a little bit, we were everywhere and nowhere. [The] midfield was spread like that, right midfielder left side, left midfielder, striker.
“I didn’t recognise that, that was really strange. In football terms that’s tactical discipline.”
Yikes! Now they have their work cut out for them, in terms of trying to turn around the tie. Moving on to the specifics of the team’s fitness situation, Alisson is about a week away from being available again. Bajcetic has moved up from training with the U21s to now training with the senior team.
He’ll be able to feature again in about a couple weeks. Elsewhere everything else remains the same, Ben Doak, Joel Matip and Thiago are done for the season.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.