MatchLiverpool v Manchester United: Team news
Arne Slot could welcome Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate back into Liverpool’s matchday squad for Sunday’s meeting with Manchester United at Anfield.
Joe Gomez, however, will not feature in the 4.30pm GMT kick-off.
Slot reported on Friday morning that the Reds No.2 will be sidelined for several weeks due to the hamstring injury he sustained in the 5-0 win at West Ham United last time out.
Bradley and Konate have not played since the victory over Real Madrid in late November but resumed full training with their teammates on Friday afternoon and may be available for the game against Ruben Amorim’s team.
Slot said: “Joe is of course not in a good place when it comes to his injury. He is out for a few weeks, that’s for sure.
“Conor and Ibou will train with us today for the first time. So, [I am] curious and interested to see where they exactly are, of course. They have worked hard to come back to the team but the next step is always, ‘How do you handle team sessions?’ They will train with us today, the two of them.”
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Watch on YouTubeGomez aside, the head coach also expects to have a full complement of players at his disposal this weekend, with Dominik Szoboszlai available again after serving a suspension last Sunday.
Slot added: “Of course they still have to come in but we trained yesterday and I assume everybody is fit, although we are in a period of time where some people get sick as well, but I have heard nothing about that yet.
“So, hopefully everybody is ready – except for Joe Gomez – to be part of the game on Sunday.”
Four Liverpool players – Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch, Konate and Darwin Nunez – are one yellow card away from incurring a one-match suspension in the Premier League.
This is the Reds’ 19th game of the top-flight season, meaning if they avoid being cautioned on Sunday the quartet will no longer be at immediate risk of a ban.
Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte are eligible to return for the visitors after they were suspended for their 2-0 loss to Newcastle United last time out.
Amorim, though, is set to be without forward Marcus Rashford, who has been dealing with illness.
“I think he’s going to be out this week,” Amorim told reporters on Friday. “He’s not training so we will see.”
No update was provided on the status of injured trio Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw, while Jonny Evans was not part of United’s 20-man squad on Monday night.
On his approach for the game, the United boss said: “I adapt all the time.
“We played most of the games with three [midfielders], so Bruno sometimes was in a different position but he was in the midfield. Sometimes it is not a big difference. I know that people look for the three defenders but I don’t see the game like that.
“I adapt for every opponent because I think it’s important. No matter the quality of our team, we have to look at the opponent to understand what kind of game we will have. So, I will do the same with the same principles.”
Last match
West Ham 0-5 Liverpool (December 29): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
Man Utd 0-2 Newcastle (December 30): Onana, De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Dalot, Casemiro, Eriksen, Diallo, Zirkzee, Hojlund.
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