Since this article was published, this game has been called off due to a coronavirus outbreak in the Liverpool squad. The first leg is now due to take place on January 13 at Anfield.

Liverpool will have to make do without Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah for Thursday's EFL Cup semi-final first leg with Arsenal at the Emirates.

The two attackers have now joined Senegal and Egypt respectively for the Africa Cup of Nations, with Naby Keita also representing Guinea at the tournament.

Takumi Minamino, Harvey Elliott, Thiago Alcantara, Divock Origi and Nat Phillips are all set to miss out through injury, while Alisson Becker, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino are all COVID-positive.

However, Andy Robertson is back from a ban and ready to reclaim his spot at left-back over Kostas Tsimikas, and it would not be a surprise to see Joe Gomez displace Ibrahima Konate at the back.

Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold should both hold their places, as Caoimhin Kelleher enjoys another opportunity in goal with Alisson absent.

Jurgen Klopp may save the bulk of his changes for the weekend's FA Cup tie with Shrewsbury Town, and as a result Fabinho and Jordan Henderson will expect to start the semi-final, potentially with Curtis Jones alongside them.

Diogo Jota and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are surefire starters in the final third given Klopp's attacking dilemma, and the task of filling the Salah-shaped hole on the right could be handed to 17-year-old Kaide Gordon.

Liverpool possible starting lineup: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Fabinho, Henderson; Gordon, Jota, Oxlade-Chamberlain

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