Liverpool midfielder could be fit for Manchester United showdown.
Liverpool host rival Manchester United on Sunday at Anfield as they aim to continue their unbeaten run in the Premier League. Manchester United are the only Premier League team to take points off of Liverpool this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team earned a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Old Trafford giving up a late lead as Liverpool’s Adam Lallana found the back of the net.
Manchester United head into the weekend fixture on the back of a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek in an FA Cup third-round replay. The Red Devils laboured to the victory against a tired Wolves team and lost striker Marcus Rashford along the way. Rashford is now a doubt for the fixture against Liverpool due to a back injury.
Solskjaer may be without his most important attacking player but Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp could welcome back one of his most influential midfielders to the team. Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is in line for a return to the team after missing the last two months with an ankle injury.
Reds not missing a beat without Fabinho
The Reds have played well even without Fabinho, keeping six straight clean sheet wins in the league. Liverpool’s recent clean sheet record has come in spite of a lack of central defender options for Klopp as both Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip have been nursing their respective leg injuries.
Klopp could also have both Matip and Lovren fit for the game. It is likely that Joe Gomez will continue alongside Virgil van Dijk at centre-back despite some shaky moments versus Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Overall, Gomez has been fantastic with Matip and Lovren sidelined and has stepped up when needed.
Both Fabinho and Matip are in training, according to Sky Sports and could be called upon. With Liverpool playing so well without them, Klopp could continue without either player in the team.
Fabinho will offer different options to the manager. He can now play Jordan Henderson on the right side of the midfield three. Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum could also play slightly more advanced in the Liverpool attack.
Who’s out of the Anfield clash?
Liverpool are without Naby Keita and James Milner due to their respective injuries. Keita suffered a groin injury in the warm-up prior to Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was playing well and the latest injury setback continues a difficult 18 months playing for Liverpool.
Liverpool midfielder Milner sustained a muscle strain in Liverpool’s FA Cup third-round win over Everton. He was substituted in the first half and has been recovering ever since. Milner would most likely have played a big role on Sunday as Klopp favours playing his most experienced midfielders in big games.
The returns to fitness for Matip, Fabinho, and Lovren come at a perfect time for Liverpool. The Reds will face Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek following their Anfield game versus Manchester United. A trip to Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup fourth round will then take place the following Sunday.
The FA Cup fourth-round match could be used by Klopp to give the trio match fitness ahead of the Champions League knockout stage.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last three matches versus Manchester United in all competitions. Only one of those fixtures ended in a win. That victory came last season at Anfield, 3-1, thanks to a goal from Sadio Mane and two from Xherdan Shaqiri.