Liverpool Manager Jürgen Klopp explains explains why Mohamed Salah couldn’t start for Liverpool against Man City
Konate was substituted early in the second half of Thursday’s 5-1 thrashing of Sparta Prague in the Europa League last-16, and he has not been named to the team for this afternoon’s meeting. Jarell Quansah begins in place of captain Virgil van Dijk.
Joe Gomez starts on the left side of defence, with Andy Robertson on the bench alongside fellow left-back Kostas Tsimikas, and Conor Bradley starting on the right.
Wataru Endo remains the holding midfielder, with Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai taking over the two ‘No.8’ duties in the future.
Jurgen Klopp will be without up to ten first-team players due to Konate’s unavailability for the vital game against City. Alisson Becker, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, Thiago Alcantara, Diogo Jota, Ben Doak, and Stefan Bajcetic are all unavailable.
Liverpool manager Klopp stated that the Reds “didn’t consider” deploying Salah from the outset due to his recent injury problems.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he stated: “We didn’t even consider his beginning the game. We can learn. Not that Mo returned too soon last time; he was unlucky with the setback, but as you would guess, we discussed it with him. It was neither his nor my idea to start him today. It will be an intense game, and we can bring him on board, which is fantastic, but it was not a difficult decision.”
Liverpool: Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Endo, Szoboszlai, MacAllister; Elliott, Nunez, Diaz.
