Liverpool will travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City on Sunday in a game outlined as a potential Premier League title decider.
In January the Reds were 14 points behind City but have managed to cut the gap down to a single point before this weekend’s fixture.
The two sides last met in October when Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne cancelled out goals from Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to draw 2-2 at Anfield.
Back then, Jurgen Klopp fielded a side without Trent Alexander-Arnold or Thiago Alcantara but now Liverpool are back to full fitness with no first team players out injured.
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Alexander-Arnold returned in the 3-1 victory over Benfica on Tuesday after sustaining a hamstring injury against Arsenal on 16 March which prevented him from taking part in England’s friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast.
Naby Keita also could not travel with his international team, Guinea, to play friendlies versus South Korea and Zambia due to a knee injury suffered in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest but he too returned against Benfica.
Despite solid performances from Ibrahima Konate, who is still yet to lose a game at Liverpool, Klopp may choose Joel Matip to partner Virgil van Dijk in defence.
As usual, Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson will occupy the full-back rolls, advancing to create chances for the front three, which is now proving the most unpredictable element of Liverpool’s line-up.
Mohamed Salah has not scored a non-penalty goal for seven games, but Klopp has persisted with him. Diogo Jota and Mane started alongside the Egyptian against City in October but January signing Luis Diaz has made a case for starting Liverpool’s most important game of the season so far.
The Colombian gives 100 per cent effort, applying pressure to the opposition’s defensive line and possesses the skill to drive and beat a man one-on-one – the type of trickery needed up against Kyle Walker.
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He will likely partner Jordan Henderson, who has a special tactical relationship with Alexander-Arnold, as the midfielder often drops in to space left by the right-back advancing.
On the left of the midfield could be Thiago, who is finally putting together a run of games after being plagued with injuries – he’s already missed 44 games during his time in Merseyside.
Yet in the league, Klopp likes to rotate Keita and Thiago, with the Spanish international playing against Watford and Brighton. And against Benfica, Keita played 89 minutes compared to Thiago’s 61.
Liverpool predicted XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Jota.
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