Liverpool is back in Champions League action this week, with an opportunity to secure qualification for the knockout stages with a game to spare. Sitting comfortably at the top of their group, Arne Slot has the luxury of making some rotations to keep his squad fresh for the challenges ahead.
Several players who have been key contributors this season, like Jarell Quansah, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and Federico Chiesa, could all find themselves in contention to start. None of them are carrying any injuries at the moment, which gives Slot the flexibility to tinker with his lineup. Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah, crucial players for Liverpool’s attack, could be rested for this fixture. With a demanding schedule ahead, Slot will look to utilize this opportunity carefully, especially since they’ll face some tough fixtures in the coming months.
Liverpool will conduct an open training session at their Kirkby training ground later today, with the session starting at 12:15 PM UK time (7:15 AM ET). The key focus will be whether Diogo Jota will be involved, as Slot is expected to provide an update during his press conference afterward.
Jota missed Liverpool’s trip to Brentford over the weekend due to a minor injury. Slot had mentioned it was a short-term issue, and the forward could be back in contention soon. He wasn’t involved in yesterday’s training session, so everything will depend on how he performs today.
“We have to wait and see if he is available today, and then, of course, tomorrow. It’s not like we expect now for him to be out for a long period of time,”
Slot said last Friday. Jota felt a slight niggle after coming on as a substitute against Nottingham Forest, and even though he finished the game, he complained afterward. That’s why he didn’t train yesterday. Slot is hopeful he’ll be back soon, but it remains uncertain whether he’ll be available for this fixture.
The only other player currently sidelined for Liverpool is Joe Gomez. The defender picked up a muscle injury during the game against West Ham United at the end of 2024, and it could still be a few weeks before he returns. No further update has been provided on his recovery status.
