Jurgen Klopp is set to start Harvey Elliott alongside Fabinho in Liverpool’s midfield tonight, as they again face Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Reds head into the second leg of their last-16 tie 5-2 down, after an embarrassing performance at Anfield.
Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Stefan Bajcetic lined out in the middle of the park for Liverpool, but they were no match for Carlo Ancelotti’s experienced side.
However, according to the Liverpool Echo, Klopp is set to change things up tonight.
As per the report, Fabinho will start for the Merseyside outfit, having attended media duties with the manager yesterday.
Elliott is likely to be named alongside the Brazilian, having impressed in recent weeks.
However, the third spot remains unknown – with Bajcetic and Henderson both out injured.
Fabinho and Elliott set to start vs Madrid
With Liverpool set to be without their captain and arguably their midfielder of the season in Bajcetic, Klopp will be having a selection headache in the run-up to the game.
Naby Keita could return to the XI, having just returned from injury.
However, before his three-game absence, the Guinea international was out of form. Klopp may thus be reluctant to add him back into his midfield, but he may have no other choice if he wants to play with three in the middle.
The alternative is to change the formation, playing the ‘magnificent’ Elliott slightly ahead of Fabinho in a double pivot.
This would allow for a front-four of Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota – with one playing sitting deeper than the rest.
Either way, Liverpool have a mountain to climb to come back against Madrid tonight.
However, stranger things have been done, so Klopp’s men will be faithful they can pull off the ‘impossible’.