23 Aug 2016

Confirmed Liverpool Team: Klopp dumps €60m 'genius' and 'amazing' attacker. Big surprise as injured star returns

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has sprung at least one major lineup surprise for tonight's League Cup clash with Burton Albion.

FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner, Henderson, Can, Lallana, Firmino, Mane, Origi.

SUBS: Manninger, Sturridge, Klavan, Wijnaldum, Moreno, Stewart, Ings

* The obvious surprise is Mane's return to the starting lineup. If he's fully-fit/healed, then this is good news, but if Klopp is rushing him back through sheer desperation, then it could be a mistake. Hopefully, it's the former, and not the latter.

* Coutinho is missing from the matchday squad. Is Klopp resting him, or is he sending a message? In the aftermath of the Burnley debacle, Klopp repeatedly moaned about poor decision-making in the final third, and inaccurate shooting, and it looks like Coutinho has paid the price for that. Or, he could be injured.

* Wijnaldum, Klavan, and 'amazing' Sturridge drop to the bench, with Matip, Can, and Origi taking over. To be honest, I'd rather see Wijnaldum left out than played out of position in central midfield.

* Moreno misses out for the second game in a row, which means Klopp will persist with the stop-gap option of James Milner at left-back. Unless, of course, he switches it around, and puts Clyne at left-back (a better idea IMO).


* Predictably, Klopp's favourite, Adam Lallana retains his place in the starting XI, despite failing to step up against Burnley. Probable formation:

----------- Mignolet
Clyne -- Lovren - Matip ---- Milner
---------- Can --- Hendo
Lallana ---- Firmino ---- Mane
------------- Origi

Knowing Klopp, though, it's possible that Lallana will be in midfield, Hendo as DM, Origi on the right-wing, and Firmino up-front.

This Liverpool team is surely far too strong to lose against Burton...right?

* Coutinho: €60m-rated. Recently hailed as a 'genius' Klopp.


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