For just the first time in over nine years, Anfield will host a Champions League quarter-final tie as they welcome runaway league leaders Manchester City, who will play just their second QF in the history of the club. City are just a win away from lifting the league title but the Champions League will be important for Pep, who is expected to go for the kill. But he will know that the loss his side fell to at Anfield in the league earlier this season can easily repeat itself and will look to avoid something similar.
Liverpool play Everton before the second leg and they also lost 5-0 at the Etihad earlier in the season. So they will be desperate to pick up an advantage at home, in front of a crowd that is getting ready to put on a show. The Reds are fresh from a win over Palace, where they came back from behind and will hope that the momentum will be enough to trouble City. But Pep’s side have been hard to beat so both teams are sure to produce yet another thrilling encounter and here is the predicted lineup Klopp might field for this tie:
Team News:
The Reds have a couple of key players missing from the first team for this game. Midfielder Emre Can is suffering from a back strain and might not be available yet while Joe Gomez is out injured for at least a month. Adam Lallana picked up a thigh injury at the weekend and could also be out for a long time. They remain the only injury concerns for Klopp, for this game.
Expected lineup (4-3-3):
Defence:
Loris Karius is now the undisputed no.1 under the bar for Liverpool and will keep his place for this crunch tie. Joel Matip had a decent outing against Palace and should continue to partner Virgil van Dijk, who has a crucial role to play at the back for the hosts.
Andrew Robertson put in a stupendous performance at Selhurst Park and will look to repeat the same at left-back while young Trent Alexandre-Arnold might be the weak link for Liverpool, at right-back.
Midfield:
With Emre Can out injured, Jordan Henderson is Liverpool’s best option in the no.6 role. The skipper is expected to start alongside Georginio Wijnaldum and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, to add some balance and creativity to the midfield.
Attack:
Liverpool have not missed their attacking trio for most of the season and will have all three of them to call upon against City. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both scored in the win against Palace and will be the danger men for City while Roberto Firmino will do his job in a false- 9 role.
Here is how they might line up:
