Brendan Rodgers seemingly confirmed during Friday’s press conference that Raheem Sterling would start against Stoke City on Sunday, despite his ongoing contract disputes with the club.
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Asked about his player’s future, in quotes taken by the Daily Mirror, he said: “I don’t see Raheem unhappy. He’s a young boy who’s developed well over the last three seasons and we hope that development will continue here. He will be available for selection this weekend.”
It’s hard to see the youngster missing out on a place in the team, as his absence would be a huge indication to our rivals that we could be willing to let him go during the summer transfer window.
Indeed, the team is likely to be as strong as possible to ensure that we consolidate our fifth placed finish. Here’s how we think we’ll line-up:
GK) Simon Mignolet
He needs a clean-sheet to guarantee himself at least a share of the Premier League’s Golden Glove award. He’ll still have fond memories of his first shut-out as a Liverpool player, which came after saving a last-minute penalty against Stoke.
RCB) Emre Can
Likely to return to a more central role as Brendan Rodgers employs a 3-4-2-1 formation. The German has been moved all over the place so far this season but will want to end a wholly positive campaign on a high here.
CB) Martin Skrtel
The Slovakian will have his hands full with Stoke’s massively underrated forward line, which includes former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch, as well as the likes of Mame Biram Diouf and Peter Odemwingie.
LCB) Dejan Lovren
Lovren has been a regular over the last couple of months and should keep his place ahead of Mamadou Sakho, who has not played a single minute of football in almost two months. The Frenchman could be on the bench.
