Liverpool can take another step towards the Premier League title if they can secure three points from their trip to Leicester City on Sunday at 4.30pm.
Liverpool predicted line-up vs Leicester
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Gakpo; Diaz
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Liverpool will make a couple of minor changes to the team after last week’s match against West Ham United, where a late Virgil van Dijk header was required to secure all three points for the Reds.
Now, they can go within a week of getting their hands on a much-coveted second Premier League trophy to add to the one won by Jurgen Klopp and his team in the 2019/20 season.
Liverpool team news vs Leicester
Trent Alexander-Arnold is still the major absentee for Liverpool as he continues to recover from an ankle injury picked up in the Champions League defeat to PSG at Anfield last month, although he is nearing a return.
The right-back, who could be set to leave the Reds this summer with Real Madrid reportedly interested, has been spotted back in training since Wednesday but this game is likely to come too soon for the 26 year old as he looks to build his fitness.
Elsewhere, Darwin Nunez could return after missing last weekend’s win over West Ham through illness. The only confirmed absentee is Joe Gomez, as he continues to recover from the hamstring surgery he underwent earlier this year.
Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai will hope to return to the starting eleven having been brought on from the bench against the Hammers last time out.
Andy Robertson was also substituted on in that game but ended up allowing the visitors back into the game by scoring a calamitous own goal.
Van Dijk latest to commit future to Reds
After the news of Mohamed Salah’s contract extension came to light last week, Liverpool fans were treated to more good news on Thursday with the announcement that Virgil van Dijk had signed a new two year deal to remain at the club.
The centre-back is one of three players alongside Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold that have been the subject of transfer speculation this season as their contracts came to a close, but the Anfield faithful can rest safe in the knowledge that two of those superstars will remain Liverpool players heading into next season.
At 33, it was never likely to be a long-term extension for the Liverpool captain, but head coach Arne Slot’s comments on the club’s official website underlined the importance of van Dijk to this Liverpool side despite his age.
“It’s almost difficult to describe,” the head coach told reporters on Friday. “Because you know how important he is when you see him play, so that’s what we all see.”
“Everybody has given him compliments over the years so many times about how good he is as a defender. I mostly watch football and look at ball possession – he’s so, so good at bringing the ball out from the back.”
“And then the leader he is in and around this AXA Training Centre, that is something I haven’t worked with, a player like him in terms of leadership.”