For Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, the main issue to resolve in with his starting line-up is at the right back position. With starter Trent Alexander-Arnold now on the shelf for a month, possibly a month and a half, there is no designated right back fit and available on the current roster.
Joe Gomez is still sidelined due to a lower leg fracture that he has sustained last month. However, midfielder James Milner has already seen time at the position this season, and we’re suggesting he’ll be the first team choice on Saturday at home versus Crystal Palace.
According to reports, LFC doesn’t have a recall option on their loan deal that sent Nathaniel Clyne to Bournemouth for the season. Now would be a great time to have him back, and since that won’t happen the loan deal seems like it was a bad move right now. It’s a possibility that we could see youngsters Rafael Camacho and Ki-Jana Hoever named to match day squads while both Gomez and TAA are out.
There is good news though as it appears the centre back crisis may be resolving itself. We might see midfielder Fabinho play in a central defense role again this weekend, or Joel Matip could be ready to go all 90+. He was named to the bench this past weekend, so perhaps he is now fit enough. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
The Bank Liverpool FC Starting XI Prediction vs AFC Bournemouth (4-3-3)
Forwards: Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino
Midfielders: Xherdan Shaqiri, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho
Back line: Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, James Milner
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Liverpool FC vs Crystal Palace FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday, January 19, 3:00 PM local, Anfield
Injury Report for both teams: go to this link
Google Result Probability: Liverpool FC win 82%, Draw 13%, Crystal Palace win 5%
Jurgen Klopp Press Conference Video, Quotes: coming Friday
Odds via Bet365: Liverpool 21/100, Draw 13/2, Crystal Palace 16/1
Prediction: Liverpool 2, Crystal Palace 1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.
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