Lucas Leiva
Keep: He’s one of the most experienced members of the dressing-room and it would be a shame to lose such a popular presence. He can always be counted on to turn in a performance when needed and he’s the only natural holding midfield player that we have at our disposal. Unless a replacement is there, it was be strange to let him go.
Sell: He plays in a position that is unlikely to be utilised on a regular basis this season. When Rodgers played with the 4-2-3-1 formation against Stoke, Henderson and Milner were the central pairing. When we changed to 4-3-3, Can came in and allowed Henderson to roam further forward. With Allen also due back, Lucas isn’t really needed.
Decision: Keep – He’s worth keeping for the odd game and to help some of the younger players develop.
Lazar Markovic
Keep: Still a tremendously talented player. He’s only 21 and has already won league titles in two different competitions and helped Benfica reach the Europa League final. He deserves a chance to show what he can do through the middle, rather than being pushed out wide or playing as a makeshift wing-back.
Sell: He hasn’t taken to English football at all well, sadly, and considering the number of players ahead of him in the pecking order it’s nearly impossible to see how he’s going to get regular game-time. The signing of Roberto Firmino and the emergence of Jordon Ibe may well prove to the final straws for his Liverpool career.
Decision: Sell – If we’re not going to play him then it’d be better to sell now when there’s a decent re-sale value.
