Mohamed Salah decision made as one player makes way – Liverpool predicted XI v Aston Villa
Jurgen Klopp takes charge of his final away match as Liverpool manager on Monday (13 May) with a trip to fellow top-four side Aston Villa.
The Reds’ Premier League title aspirations may now be officially over, but Klopp will be eager to bow out on a high over the next week.
Klopp will see no reason to tinker too much with his side – if at all – on the back of last weekend’s morale-boosting 4-2 victory over Tottenham.
Andy Robertson injury scare pre-Liverpool v Aston Villa
However, according to the Liverpool Echo, Andy Robertson was not present in training on Friday (10 May), possibly rendering him doubtful.
Even if it is a slight knock that Robertson is carrying, there is absolutely no reason to risk him for the showdown at Villa Park.
Kostas Tsimikas and Joe Gomez are both more-than-able replacements at left-back, and it may well be the former of the two who gets the nod.
The Greece international has completed 86 per cent of his passes in the Premier League this season [WhoScored], just short of Robertson’s 87.
If Robertson is fit, though, it seems certain the Scotsman – who is averaging 1.5 tackles per game this term – will start in his usual position.
The back four – or five with goalkeeper Alisson Becker – should otherwise be unchanged, even if the Reds did concede twice last weekend.
That would see Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah and Virgil van Dijk complete the defensive setup.
Mohamed Salah back in good books at Liverpool
Further forward, it again seems likely Klopp will stick with a winning formula in Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott.
In the Spurs game, Endo’s 91-per-cent pass accuracy was bettered only by Van Dijk (93), while Elliott’s five key passes was a game-high.
Mohamed Salah returned against Tottenham and was back to being his lively self with an unmatched six shots, four of those on target.
The Egyptian should retain his place, as should Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo alongside him, even if Darwin Nunez is pushing for inclusion.
Gakpo’s 0.72 goal involvements per 90 [FBref] may be below Nunez’s 0.85, but the Dutchman has scored one and assisted two in his past three games.
In other Liverpool news, a “forgotten man” is set to leave Anfield this summer.
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