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Champions League | Group Stage
Dec 1, 2020 at 8pm UK
Anfield
A

Liverpool
1 - 0
Ajax

Jones (58')
Wijnaldum (70'), Henderson (90+1'), Mane (90+2')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Schuurs (42'), Blind (55')

How Liverpool could line up against Ajax

:Headline: How Liverpool could line up against Ajax: ID:424345: from db_amp
Sports Mole looks at how Liverpool could line up for Tuesday's Champions League Group D clash with Ajax at Anfield.

Liverpool have another chance to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League when they welcome Ajax to Anfield on Tuesday night.

The six-time winners of the competition fell to a shock home defeat at the hands of Atalanta BC on matchday four, blowing Group D wide open with only two points now separating the top three sides.

Liverpool still have their own fate very much in their own hands with one win being enough to qualify, but they come into this game off the back of a gut-wrenching 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Jurgen Klopp could set his side up for the contest.



Out: Joe Gomez (knee), Virgil van Dijk (knee), Thiago Alcantara (knee), James Milner (hamstring), Xherdan Shaqiri (muscle), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee), Trent Alexander-Arnold (calf)
Doubtful: Naby Keita (hamstring)

> Click here for Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Rotation is likely to be the theme of team selections for Liverpool over the coming weeks, and as the games continue to pile up it becomes more and more difficult to predict which team Klopp will go for.

Liverpool's options remain severely limited by injuries, though, with James Milner the latest to add to that list after he picked up a hamstring injury in the Brighton draw on Saturday - an issue which sparked a remarkable row over scheduling in Klopp's post-match interview.

The Reds were at least boosted by the return of captain Jordan Henderson off the bench at half time, and he could start this one on Tuesday.

Henderson replaced Neco Williams on Saturday and the young full-back is expected to start again in this match with Milner now sidelined, although Trent Alexander-Arnold is closing in on a return.

Thiago and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been ruled out for this match and the next one, though, while Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri also remain out.

The extent to which Klopp does rotate remains to be seen; he has made his frustrations at the scheduling very clear, but there are five days between this match and the next, while victory over Ajax would allow him to rest more players in their final group game with qualification already secured.

The front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane may therefore all start, while Diogo Jota's potential omission would be more a mark of his importance to the team in order to keep him fresh for Sunday's meeting with former club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Mane, who has only scored once in his last 10 Champions League home games, was rested from the start at the weekend, while Salah somewhat reluctantly came off just past the hour mark so both should be relatively fresh.

It is in midfield and defence where Klopp's resources are spread most bare, though, and Curtis Jones, Rhys Williams, Kostas Tsimikas and Joel Matip could be among those to come back into this side for this match.

Matip was not even in the matchday squad for the draw at Brighton, although that is not thought to be because of an injury so he should be fit to return on Tuesday.

Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi are among the uninjured fringe players who will no doubt be hopeful of more gametime over the next month or so, but both may have to settle for a place on the bench here.

Concern was also raised regarding goalkeeper Alisson Becker after he seemingly missed training on Monday, although there has been no suggestion from within the club that he is injured just yet.

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