Liverpool v FC Porto: Team news
Jürgen Klopp must make at least one change to his Liverpool XI for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg against FC Porto.
The Reds will be without left-back Andy Robertson for the tie at Anfield as he serves a suspension after picking up a late booking at Bayern Munich in the previous round.
Minor complaints aside, however, Klopp’s charges came through the 3-1 win over Southampton last time out without any fresh injury concerns.
“We had little problems after the game, back problems here, Gini Wijnaldum a little back problem, Joel [Matip], I think even Virgil [van Dijk] from a fall on the ground,” the manager reported at his pre-match press conference on Monday.
“But they all should be OK, hopefully.”
Adam Lallana is likely to be unavailable to face Porto, though – a slight muscle issue ruled him out of the trip to St Mary’s and a return for the weekend is a more realistic target.
As Liverpool continue to tread carefully with Joe Gomez’s recovery from a lower-leg fracture, the defender will not be rushed back unnecessarily, explained Klopp.
“He could be maybe [available] but for him it’s better to have more sessions. Joe needs that, he is not long enough in training,” the boss said of Gomez, who travelled with the squad to Southampton on Friday.
“If we don’t struggle players-wise, that we don’t have enough, then we should not think about Joe for the next one or two weeks because now he needs really proper training.”
Porto named a 23-man travelling squad for their journey to Merseyside on Monday.
The visitors will be without two of their most experienced players due to suspension - Pepe and Hector Herrera are unavailable for the first leg at Anfield.
Left-back Alex Telles – whose extra-time penalty past AS Roma sent Os Dragoes into the last eight – joined his teammates on the trip, though there are doubts over his fitness.
Asked for an update on Telles’ availability at his pre-match press conference, Porto coach Sergio Conceicao said: “I don’t know. He is better but we don’t know yet.”
On dealing with the absence of Herrera in midfield, Conceicao added: “We have to be intelligent, creative and have a good strategy. Whoever plays next to Danilo, the team dynamic is the most important thing.”
After a 5-0 home defeat last year, Porto held the Reds to a goalless draw in the return leg at Anfield and their boss believes a positive result is in their power.
“I think it’s possible to win here,” Conceicao told reporters on the eve of the game. “We’ve prepared to win, that’s what we’re going to work towards.
“We need to work very hard. Sometimes we’ll be without the ball, there’ll be difficult transitions. We have to be very balanced from an attacking sense.”
Last time out
Southampton 1-3 Liverpool (April 5): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita, Salah, Mane, Firmino.
FC Porto 2-0 Boavista (April 5): Casillas, Corona, Pepe, Militao, Manafa, Danilo, Herrera, Otavio, Brahimi, Tiquinho, Marega.