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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle & Paul Gorst & Richard Garnett

Liverpool line-ups vs Tottenham as Mohamed Salah change made and Jordan Henderson returns

Ian Doyle - Time for Salah down the middle

It's the big one. Well, very much in the sense all of Liverpool's Premier League games are going to be big between now and the end of the season.

Which, of course, is a lot. Tottenham first, though. And what is Jurgen Klopp to do?

The big question is the formation and I'd be minded to go back to a 4-2-3-1 purely to throw a bit of a spanner in the works of the home team.

READ MORE: Full Liverpool squad available to face Tottenham as midfielder back but six missing

READ MORE: Jordan Henderson breaks silence on Gabriel incident after FA investigation cleared Liverpool captain

It means Alisson Becker in goal, with Andy Robertson returning at left-back. The rest of the defence stays the same - Trent Alexander-Arnold on the other flank and Virgil van Dijk partnered by Ibrahima Konate at centre-back.

Midfield sees a change, with the concussed James Milner out. Jordan Henderson is back to skipper in place of Fabinho, with Thiago Alcantara joining him at the base.

And up top, it's time Mohamed Salah went back down the middle with Roberto Firmino - who loves playing Tottenham - in behind, and Curtis Jones on the left and Harvey Elliott on the right.

My team (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Thiago; Elliott, Firmino, Jones; Salah.

Paul Gorst - Traditional midfield returns

This one has been touted as a ‘must-not-lose’ for Liverpool but a draw is of little use for Jurgen Klopp. Victory is needed if they are to eventually claw back the deficit.

Ibrahima Konate was excellent against Napoli so he starts again next to Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson is recalled.

In midfield I’m going with a somewhat traditional trio of Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson.

Up top, I’m naming Darwin Nunez alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah with the Uruguay striker just off to the left.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson; Salah, Firmino, Nunez.

Rich Garnett - Experience needed

Liverpool may have coasted into the knockout stages of the Champions League, but their Premier League form currently sees supporters checking on the results of clubs like Fulham and Brentford.

If the Reds are to alter this new-found world of domestic mediocrity then they will need to start picking up wins, particularly away from home. Where better to start than the inspirationally-named Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

A clean sheet has become something of a collector's item for Jurgen Klopp's side this season, but after achieving one against Napoli in midweek, I'm sticking with the same defence today.

With Alisson in goal, a backline of Trent Alexander-Arnold, the hugely impressive Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Kostas Tsimikas remains. Many will choose to recall Andy Robertson for this fixture, which is perfectly plausible, but I felt that the Greek left-back Tsimikas was superb against the Italians and for that alone, deserves to retain his place in the starting line-up.

The Reds' midfield has been a mystery wrapped in a puzzle all season, but it is experience that I am prioritising here. With James Milner sidelined, Jordan henderson can return to the engine room, alongside Thiago Alcantara, with Fabinho at the base. Solid if unspectacular.

Up top, Klopp is not exactly spoiled for choice in options but Curtis Jones did himself no harm with a promising cameo against Napoli. However, I'm sticking with Mohamed Salah on the right, Darwin Nunez on the left and Roberto Firmino down the middle.

If that doesn't work out, Jones and Fabio Carvalho can expect some decent minutes to try and get a much-needed result for the stuttering Reds.

My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson; Salah, Firmino, Nunez.

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