After a loss to Swansea City in PL action on Saturday, Liverpool will host Southampton in the second league of the EFL Cup semi-final. Southampton took the first leg 1-0, putting the pressure on the Reds for leg two.
Loris Karius has been Liverpool’s Cup keeper since December, and that shouldn’t change on Wednesday.
Liverpool got good news late last week, when Joel Matip is ruled eligible by FIFA and can play moving forward.
He got some time in the U-23s and should be entered into the starting line-up immediately in place of Ragnar Klavan. Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and James Milner should round out the back four.
The front six, which had been so deadly for most of the beginning of the season, has hit a snag in recent weeks, first when Philippe Coutinho got hurt and then when Sadio Mane leaving for the African Cup of Nations.
Liverpool has moved Adam Lallana into Mane’s role with Emre Can, Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson manning the midfield. That hurts Liverpool on two fronts, because Lallana had thrived in the midfield and he doesn’t have Mane’s pace up front. Wednesday, Lallana should drop back to his original spot, with Henderson and Can alongside him.
Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho should both start, leaving Jurgen Klopp an option for who should play with them up front. Divock Origi should be the choice, mainly because he works better off Firmino and Coutinho then Daniel Sturridge.
GK Loris Karius
RB Nathaniel Clyne – CB Joel Matip – CB Dejan Lovren– LB James Milner
MF Georginio Wijnaldum – MF Jordan Henderson – MF Adam Lallana
RW Divock Origi – FW Roberto Firmino – LW Philippe Coutinho
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As always, feel free to post your own Liverpool starting XI in the comments section below. Speak your mind on the formations and line-ups that are already presented here for your discussion.