Liverpool vs Newcastle squad – Will Konate be ruled out due to injury?

Liverpool vs Newcastle squad – Will Konate be ruled out due to injury?

Liverpool will have an upcoming trip to St. James’ Park and Jurgen Klopp have several potential options to change their starting lineups.

The Reds scored a brace against Newcastle last season but were ultimately unable to catch them in fourth place, missing out on a Champions League spot for the first time since 2016.

Klopp has assigned an unchanged squad for the campaign’s home opener against Bournemouth but could be ready to make the first adjustments to his squad this weekend. The coach informed us of the back injury while speaking to the media ahead of the trip, which meant he had to choose between his two full-backs.

Here’s how Liverpool might line up.

Team News

Here’s what the manager told us before the clash:

Ibrahima Konate has a muscle injury

Trent Alexander-Arnold will recover after the match against Bournemouth

Both Curtis Jones and Thiago are in midfield

Alexis Mac Allister can play after suspension is lifted

Expected line-ups for Liverpool vs Newcastle

Konaté’s latest injury complicates the coach’s defensive options, with either Joel Matip or Joe Gomez replacing him if the Frenchman is absent.

If Matip gets the green light, the Red Devils will line up with the same defenders who started the 2019 Champions League final in Madrid more than four years ago.

Liverpool’s successful appeal against Mac Allister’s suspension does however make things simpler as far as the midfield is concerned.

The unchanged side in the first two games saw Cody Gakpo feature in behind a front three of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, but Wataru Endo’s arrival could free up space for Gakpo to return to the forward line.

It is a tricky one this weekend, but Liverpool could look something like this:

Gomez to replace the injured Konate alongside Virgil van Dijk

Endo to make his first start as the holding midfielder

Gakpo starts as a centre-forward, with Mac Allister moving up to No. 8

This is how Liverpool would line up:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz

While he hasn’t trained since Tuesday, Konate hasn’t been completely ruled out of action and would be likely to feature if he was deemed fit enough.

The Reds also have a number of options up front and Darwin Nunez will be keen to replicate his goal at St. James’ last season in what would be his first start of 2023/24.

As a result, we could instead see something like this:

Konate to keep his place at centre-back

Nunez to lead the line in place of Jota through the middle

Diaz and Salah to remain out wide in the front three

Here’s how the different set-up would look:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz

It hasn’t been an easy start as far as away trips are concerned, but the 2-0 win on Tyneside in February should give the Reds belief that they are capable of producing another big result. Klopp has a lot to consider before his trip to Newcastle, but having too many attacking options means Liverpool will have enough firepower to make it difficult for the Warlocks.

Make room for the Red Devils!

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