Sunday’s meeting with Manchester United poses as one of this club’s biggest games of the season and now one of the toughest given Liverpool’s testing start to the year.
Injuries to key players and Sadio Mane’s departure for the African Cup of Nations has somewhat hampered this team’s momentum after a great first half of the season.
Anfield legend Jamie Carragher has had his say on a key selection dilemma for Jurgen Klopp heading into the game, backing Divock Origi to retain his place in the starting lineup at the expense of Daniel Sturridge.
He told Sky Sports: “Even if Daniel Sturridge had scored against Southampton in midweek I wouldn’t really have expected him to play away at Old Trafford. I think Divock Origi will get the nod.”
“Philippe Coutinho made a difference and showed his quality when he came on against Southampton, but it’s maybe a bit early for him to start a game after all of his injury problems and he may be used from the bench.”
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Sturridge was far from his best during Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final first leg loss to Southampton but then again, he wasn’t the only one.
Klopp will want his men to come out and start quickly against Jose Mourinho’s men and Origi perhaps gives the team a better chance of doing this.
All eyes, however, will be on whether Philippe Coutinho makes the starting lineup after making his long awaited return from injury during the week.
It will be difficult for Klopp to keep a man of his talent and influence out of his first eleven in such a crucial game.