As the triumph of Sunday still lingers in the air for Liverpool, it’s back to business as Klopp’s men prepare to face Southampton in the FA Cup. With the fitness of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai still in question, it is unlikely any of them will feature in tomorrow’s clash. It is more than probable that Klopp will look to rotate heavily, as far as his very thin squad will allow him. That being said, this is my predicted starting lineup for the fixture…
GK: CAOIMHIN KELLEHER
Alisson’s injury leaves Klopp with little to no choice in this department. Although it would be in his best interest to rest Kelleher, his deputy in Adrian has not made an appearance this season. The Irishman’s exceptional performance in Sunday’s final means he is more than capable of seeing Liverpool through to the next round.
RB: CONOR BRADLEY
This is an incredibly difficult selection. Although Bradley is currently our only ‘senior’ right-back, I believe that Klopp will pick the 20-year-old tomorrow. The Northern Irishman was taken off in the 72nd minute of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, leaving a high probability he will be included tomorrow.
CB: JOE GOMEZ
The importance of keeping VVD and Konate fit means a start for Gomez is highly likely tomorrow, especially with a home clash againts Manchester City coming up. Despite being only 26 years old himself, he will likely be one of the more senior starters, and will need to play a huge role in getting the job done in the Cup.
CB: JARELL QUANSAH
The 21-year-old has already made 20 appearances for the first team this season, and this fixture is perfect for him to gain more valuable minutes. The young centre-back has slotted seamlessly into this Liverpool team and will look to add to his fine performances this year.
LB: KOSTAS TSIMIKAS
With Robertson only recently returning to fitness and playing a big part in Sunday’s extra-time victory, it is almost a guarantee that Tsimikas will starts this one. The Greek international delivered the match-winning cross for Virgil Van Dijk’s winner against Chelsea, and will more than likely be the oldest starter for the Reds tomorrow.
CM: ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER
The Argentinian has been a complete revelation for Liverpool this season, adding the much-needed technical ability and calmness that previous midfielders have lacked. His stand-out performance on Sunday truly exhibited his importance in Klopp’s team, and he will add crucial leadership to what will likely be a very young midfield tomorrow.
CM: JAMES MCCONNELL
The young midfielder certainly impressed during Sunday’s final win, completing 34 passes with a passing accuracy of 87%. An FA Cup fixture against second-tier Southampton is another excellent opportunity for the Englishman to continue his development and show just how good of a footballer he is.
CM: BOBBY CLARK
Another of the youngsters who was so impressive on Sunday, Bobby Clark will certainly be in line for a start tomorrow evening. The 19-year-old has made seven appearances this season, including four in the Premier League. He is a player which Klopp has placed immense trust in, and tomorrow offers another opportunity for the youngster to prove why his manager is so confident in him.
RW: HARVEY ELLIOTT
Despite almost running himself into the ground on Sunday, Liverpool’s attacking scarcity means another start on the wing is likely for Elliott. Klopp has spoken incredibly highly about the 20-year-old since his debut in 2019, and he has become one of Liverpool’s most important players in recent weeks.
ST: JAYDEN DANNS
After only having a minute of first-team action under his belt prior to the weekend, Jayden Danns played over half an hour in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final victory. The forward, who has 16 goals this season, created two or three chances for himself against Chelsea and could have even scored, if it weren’t for a fine save from Đorđe Petrović. Danns could be handed his first professional start this season, and as many would agree, I do not think it will be his last.
LW: CODY GAKPO
Many Liverpool fans were quick to air their frustration with Gakpo for his performance on Sunday, and while it was not his best in a red shirt, the criticism he received was not wholly fair on the Dutchman. After his move from PSV in 2023, Liverpool fans are yet to see the full extent of what Cody Gakpo is capable of. We have seen glimpses, and his 11 goals this season are testament to his capability to perform at the highest level, but a clash with Championship opposition could be the perfect fixture to ignite his season.