Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai will return to the Liverpool starting lineup when they host Leeds United at Anfield on Thursday.
Liverpool will aim to continue the recent unbeaten run when they welcome Leeds United to Anfield on Thursday evening. Arne Slot has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Dominik Szoboszlai is available after serving a suspension this past weekend in the game against Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, Giovanni Leoni (knee), Wataru Endo (ankle), Joe Gomez (hamstring), and Alexander Isak (leg) remain in the treatment room.
Additionally, Mohamed Salah is away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Slot did not provide fitness updates on any player. However, the Dutch tactician discussed Florian Wirtz’s improved form.
The Liverpool manager said, “He’s the only one who could answer that question. I can only answer from my experience being an old man, or at least much older than him! The first few months in a different country – because it was also my first experience going abroad – it’s different.”
“Your life is a bit upside down and that for a manager is probably not the biggest problem because I don’t have to perform on the pitch, but I could fully understand that some individuals and some players need a bit of time to adapt off the pitch as well.”
“The biggest adaptation if you come from abroad is this league and how intense it is, because again [against Wolverhampton Wanderers] I think even when we play once a week you could see that Hugo [Ekitike] had cramp after 70 or 75 minutes, and I didn’t take Florian out because he played bad, I took him out because he was hardly able to keep on running anymore.”
Alisson Becker is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Liverpool lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Leeds United on Thursday. The backline will feature Jeremie Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez.
As for the midfield unit, Szoboszlai will replace Curtis Jones as Ryan Gravenberch’s partner in the double pivot, with Alexis Mac Allister reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Hugo Ekitike will lead the line for the home side against Leeds United, with Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo completing the numbers in the offensive unit. So, Curtis Jones, Federico Chiesa, and Rio Ngumoha will be backup options on the bench.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Ekitike