Confirmed Liverpool lineup & reaction as star midfielder returns vs Atletico Madrid

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Liverpool confirmed their lineup to face Atletico Madrid in the last few minutes. Here’s what Jurgen Klopp has gone for – and how Reds reacted.

Liverpool have a different kind of game against Atletico Madrid today. The Reds host the Spanish champions knowing things are quite firmly in their hands.

Win and Liverpool progress to the knockout stages, almost certainly as group winners. In fact, it would be the first time in the club’s history that they won the four fixtures to begin a group stage.

But a draw might be enough here. At least, it would keep the club in a commanding position to progress.

Atletico are in a very different position, knowing they must get a positive result at Anfield. If they fail, things become very precarious for Diego Simeone’s side.

Atletico’s injury news is very bad for them, then, and very good for Liverpool. They’ll be a weakened team that needs to go for a win – the Reds should be able to control this one as they wish.

Liverpool, on the other hand, can call on Fabinho and Thiago for the first time in a while.

So let’s see what Jurgen Klopp has gone for.

Confirmed Liverpool lineup to face Atletico Madrid

Alisson

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Joel Matip

Virgil van Dijk

Kostas Tsimikas

Fabinho

Jordan Henderson

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Mohamed Salah

Diogo Jota

Sadio Mane

Alisson
Alexander-Arnold – Matip – Van Dijk – Tsimikas
Fabinho
Henderson – Oxlade-Chamberlain
Salah – Jota – Mane

An interesting team here as Klopp swaps out a few players. It certainly looks more balanced than we saw in the second half against Brighton, though.

The centre-back situation is an interesting one. Klopp appears to have rotations in mind but Joe Gomez seems to have missed training. Van Dijk partners Matip as a result.

Oxlade-Chamberlain earns himself a start – well deserved after some impressive cameos from the bench. As for the forwards, Liverpool are set up to counter-attack here. That’s likely a smart move as Atletico force themselves to push forward.

Reaction

All in all, very positive reaction to this. A lot of people are happy that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tsimikas get opportunities to shine – and rightfully so.

Now let’s see if they can live up to the hype.