Liverpool will have to face Real Madrid in the Champions League without the help of two of their star midfielders in the form of Stefan Bajcetic and Jordan Henderson.
The pair in question had missed the Reds’ open training session on Tuesday, though despite the former travelling with the squad to Madrid, Jurgen Klopp has since confirmed the Spaniard will be out of action with an adductor injury.
It leaves the German tactician with limited options, specifically James Milner, Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott – that is, of course, if a tactical tweak isn’t considered.
READ MORE: Liverpool rocked by ‘illness’ as £140k-p/w star ruled out of Madrid clash – David Lynch
READ MORE: 25-year-old Liverpool player Klopp called ‘unreal’ now ‘expected to leave’ this summer
Given the magnitude of the task that awaits us at the Bernabeu a switch to four forwards up top and a double pivot, perhaps of our No.3 and No.19, wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
We have overturned a three-goal deficit before – most notably against Barcelona back in the successful campaign of 2018/19 – though it still represents a big ask for this Liverpool squad to shock a side as assured as Carlo Ancelotti’s men in Europe.
With no further ado, we’ll be going with a backline containing the centre-back partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate ahead of Alisson Becker in goal.
Fabinho and Elliott will likely find themselves in the midfield behind a front-four containing Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah.
EOTK’s predicted XI: Alisson, Robertson, Konate, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Elliott, Jota, Nunez, Gakpo, Salah