Liverpool host Atalanta in the Europa League Quarter-Finals. The first-leg will take place from Anfield on April 11, with the second-leg just a week later. This is our Liverpool predicted lineup.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs Atalanta in First-Leg of Knockout
How Liverpool Have Lined-up Recently
Caoimhin Kelleher has started in goal. Virgil van Dijk paired with Jarell Quansah in the most recent match as the centre-backs. The young Conor Bradley has played at right-back with Andy Robertson returning at left-back.
Wataru Endo returned against Manchester United, alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in the midfield.
Mohamed Salah has been in mediocre form at right-wing. Darwin Nunez is Liverpool’s striker and Luis Diaz is the left-winger.
Liverpool Recent Form and Tactics
Liverpool were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw away at Old Trafford.
Harvey Elliott had another great cameo including winning an 84th minute penalty to allow Liverpool to equalise. We expect “marquee signing” Szoboszlai to be dropped for him. The Hungarian reportedly earns £120,000 every week but could make way for his younger colleague.
This frustration is not just in the result (dropping crucial points in the title race) but in the performance too. The Reds had an expected goals (XG) of 3.67 and missed a painful five big chances.
Manchester United’s equaliser also came with frustration: Quansah mistakenly passed the ball straight to Bruno Fernandes who proceeded to lob Kelleher from almost 40 yards.
Jurgen Klopp also drew with Erik Ten Hag earlier in the season, despite having 34 shots and 2.38XG.
Dropping four points to a significantly inferior side due to missed chances and freak mistakes is not ideal in an incredibly tight three-horse title race.
Underperforming XG has been a common theme this season, and Klopp’s successor will have his work cut out to improve this.
Liverpool Injuries to Consider
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, and Diogo Jota returned to training. Klopp revealed that he “will use them in the next days and weeks” but he “didn’t make a decision yet” for the Atalanta match.
Meanwhile, Stefan Bajcetic “is different a little bit because he was out for much longer” and “we might give him a game at U21s and then let’s see how he deals with that”.
Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara are likely out for the season.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup
GK: Caoimhin Kelleher
LB: Andy Robertson
CB: Virgil van Dijk
CB: Ibrahima Konate
RB: Joe Gomez
CM: Alexis Mac Allister
DM: Wataru Endo
CM: Harvey Elliott
LW: Luis Diaz
ST: Darwin Nunez
RW: Mohamed Salah
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