Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has refused to rule Alexis Mac Allister out of contention for Monday’s Premier League showdown with Newcastle United at Anfield.
The Argentine midfielder has been in the treatment room since suffering a painful cut to the knee against Sheffield United on December 6, but he is now in the final phase of his rehabilitation.
However, the Reds are guaranteed to be without six stricken men on New Year’s Day, as Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone), Ben Doak (knee), Joel Matip (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Andrew Robertson (shoulder) are continuing their recoveries.
With neither Tsimikas nor Robertson available, Joe Gomez ought to be deployed as an emergency left-back once again, with Trent Alexander-Arnold undertaking vice-captain duties on the opposite side.
Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk are defensive shoo-ins too, but despite helping the Reds keep a clean sheet against Burnley on Boxing Day, Jarell Quansah is at risk of losing his place to Ibrahima Konate
Unless Mac Allister somehow forces his way into the XI, Wataru Endo should be given the chance to continue his fine form as Liverpool’s number six, potentially with the recalled Dominik Szoboszlai alongside him and Ryan Gravenberch.
Diogo Jota returned from injury with a bang against Burnley, netting his side’s second off the bench, but he may be restricted to another cameo role as Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez – scorer of two late goals at St James’ Park in August – form an unchanged attack.
Liverpool possible starting lineup: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Endo, Gravenberch; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez
Jurgen Klopp outlines Liverpool “solutions” to Mohamed Salah absence for AFCON
Liverpool are prepping for the departure of Mohamed Salah as he jets off to represent Egypt in the AFCON leaving Jurgen Klopp to seek replacements in his forward line
Jurgen Klopp insists he has a “solution” to Mohamed Salah’s absence, but hopes that remains in tact after playing Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
The Liverpool boss is preparing for his leading marksman depart to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Salah could be absent for over a month should his nation go all the way in the tournament as they seek a first success since 2010.
Klopp is by no means short of attacking options with Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo all on the books on Merseyside. They will face Arsenal and Chelsea during the time Salah is absent but the German has not given too much thought to who could fill in for Salah amid fears over other unavailability.
He told reporters: “Each long-term plan I could have had depends massively on who is available. So why should I think in October who I can use when Mo is away, when I have no clue who is available?
“We have solutions today and I hope we have that after Newcastle as well. It is not the first time, it is a really very average situation that you lose your goal scorer. But we had it even worse in the past when both Sadio [Mane] and Mo left. We always came through it. Traditionally at least one of them went far in the tournament at least, which makes it even worse.”
Salah is not the only player jetting off to represent his country. Summer signing Wataru Endo, who has become increasingly influential in midfield, will go to the Asia Cup with Japan leaving Klopp with a selection headache in the middle of the park.
“We have to get through this,” said the Liverpool boss. “We know the Africa Cup of Nations appears and Mo has to go, and so we have to deal with it, that was always clear. Now with Endo we have a participant of the Asian Cup as well. We knew it and now we have to deal with it, and we will.”
Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League ahead of their clash with the Magpies on New Year’s Day. An FA Cup third round tie against Arsenal is set to be Salah and Endo’s final match before they head off to their respective nations.
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Alexis Mac Allister could be available for Liverpool’s clash with Newcastle United at Anfield on New Year’s Day.
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The Argentina international has not featured since the win over Sheffield United on December 6, but he was part of training on Friday and therefore may come into contention for a place in Jürgen Klopp’s squad for the visit of the Magpies.
Klopp is, however, without a number of other senior players due to injury, with the manager revealing in his pre-match press conference Andy Robertson is still some way away from a return following shoulder surgery.
“Robbo still needs more range in his shoulder,” said the boss “Obviously it was a big surgery. [He is] still not even close to team training or whatever.
“[He] can do a lot, everything without using the arm properly, which is obviously good but on the other side shows us we still have a long way to go. For sure, I think, the full January he has to get closer and closer.”
Klopp also updated on the fitness of Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic, both of whom have been absent for most of the campaign so far.
“I think Thiago will be at one point in team training [in January],” he said. “With Stefan, if you ask Stefan how he feels, he says ‘good’. ‘Could you train?’ Yes, he could. It’s just we have to be sensible. That’s how it is.
“Thiago is in a very good moment as well but we just have to make sure we don’t use him then too early. The hip thing in and around that area is just a long-term thing as well.
“There were for sure days where he could have easily trained but it’s all about how can he be back then in the long term, and that’s what we are working on.”
Klopp is also without Kostas Tsimikas, who suffered a broken collarbone in the draw with Arsenal, Joel Matip, who is sidelined after an ACL rupture, and Ben Doak (knee).
Alisson Becker can bring up the landmark of 250 Liverpool appearances on Monday night.
As for Newcastle, manager Eddie Howe is assessing captain Jamaal Lascelles for the trip to Anfield after he missed the Boxing Day defeat by Nottingham Forest. “We don’t think it’s serious and we hope he’ll be back fairly soon,” said Howe.
The Magpies are, though, without eight senior players for the Premier League game on Merseyside.
Nick Pope is absent with a shoulder injury, Harvey Barnes and Joe Willock have suffered setbacks in their recoveries from foot and Achilles injuries respectively, while Matt Targett, Elliot Anderson, Jacob Murphy and former Liverpool defender Javier Manquillo are all sidelined. Sandro Tonali is suspended.
Looking ahead to the fixture, Howe said on Friday: “There’ve been a couple of painful games against Liverpool, for sure – the game last season at Anfield was particularly tough for us. This season wasn’t any easier.
“I think the positive thing in both of those games is we performed really well and were competitive, and gave Liverpool a really good game.
“I think, for us, we need to be near-perfect in this game. I think this is a really tough game for us. They’ve performed really well at home especially, they’re consistent, a really good team.
“So for us, the challenge is that we need to re-find our best form and we need to be mentally very strong.”
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