We wrote a predicted XI yesterday for the tie with Barcelona, that included the usual defence, attack and a midfield of Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson.
In our opinion, Jurgen Klopp won’t start with Naby Keita, despite the Guinean’s excellent form and the manner in which he’s integrated himself into the side with three goals in five games.
And James Pearce of the Echo agrees, suggesting Klopp will pick ‘leaders’ in the midfield three instead of taking ‘unnecessary risks’.
Interestingly, he also says James Milner might be in contention after sitting out the Huddersfield pummelling – while also using the breather Wijnaldum was given in the second-half as evidence to his likely spot in the starting lineup.
We don’t think there’ll be many complaints if Klopp goes with Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum – but if the Brazilian is left out for Milner – Twitter will be awash with claims of the ‘Brexit midfield’ – not that this makes any sense considering one third of it is Dutch.
For us, Klopp’s earned the right to field any side he likes on any given day against any given opposition. We all have our favourites, but he’s been proven right far more times than ‘Angry Dave’ on social media – who’ll likely declare after a slow 15 minutes at the Nou Camp that this is the ‘worst he’s seen Liverpool play’.