Conor Bradley, a right-back for Liverpool, is expected to start in his first Premier League game on Sunday when the Reds travel to the Vitality Stadium to play Bournemouth.
Due to the injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Andrew Robertson (shoulder), and Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone),
the Reds are still missing three senior full-backs. Joe Gomez is filling in for the latter two on the left side.
Jurgen Klopp is poised to give Bradley his top-flight baptism this weekend after praising the 20-year-old’s performance against Fulham in the EFL Cup.
However, the Reds manager is not expecting Dominik Szoboszlai (thigh) to return just yet.
Ben Doak (knee), Joel Matip (knee), Thiago Alcantara (hip), Stefan Bajcetic (calf),
and Wataru Endo (knee) are also recovering from injuries sustained while away on international service;
Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, had a near-accident during Egypt’s most recent Africa Cup of Nations match with Ghana.
On his first Premier League game, Bradley, 20, will link arms with Gomez, Alisson Becker,
Virgil van Dijk, and Ibrahima Konate in the back, with Alexis Mac Allister leading the way.
Curtis Jones’ fortunate deflection effort against Fulham ignited Liverpool’s comeback,
and the Merseyside native is expected to continue in an intact midfield trio alongside Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.
However, with Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo changing the game in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Fulham
(the former providing one of the latter’s two assists), Klopp’s biggest selection problems clearly lie in attack.
Nunez should be recalled in lieu of Harvey Elliott, but Gakpo’s goal might not be sufficient to push Diogo Jota or Luis Diaz out of the Reds’ attack.
Potential starting lineup for Liverpool: Alisson; Jones, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Jota, Nunez, Diaz; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez.
