Confirmed Liverpool lineup vs. Wolves: Lallana starts as Klopp makes sole change

December 29, 2019
Jack Lusby

Jurgen Klopp has made just one change to his Liverpool lineup for the final game of 2019, against an in-form Wolves side in the Premier League.

Both Klopp and his opposite number Nuno Espirito Santo bemoaned the festive fixture schedule in the buildup to today’s game, with the Reds manager insisting it is “a crime” to play twice in 48 hours.

Liverpool have narrowly avoided that issue, but for Wolves it is a second game in less than that time, having fought back to beat Man City 3-2 on Friday night.

There are changes for both sides at Anfield, but Klopp has made only one alteration, despite hinting at “fresh legs” ahead of kickoff.

Alisson continues in goal, and the Brazilian starts behind a back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson.

Jordan Henderson starts at the base of the midfield, and is joined by Adam Lallana and Gini Wijnaldum, with Klopp likely to field a 4-3-3 formation.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino start in attack, against a Wolves defence that has conceded just 24 goals in the league so far.

Naby Keita and Divock Origi are among those on the substitutes’ bench, along with youngsters Neco Williams, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones.

Xherdan Shaqiri is absent due to a muscle strain, with Klopp confirming he would have started if he was fit.

Meanwhile, Nuno has made four changes, with Ryan Bennett, Max Kilman, Ruben Vinagre and Pedro Neto replacing Matt Doherty, Romain Saiss, Adama Traore and Raul Jiminez.

“Now we play three games in a row at home, and I can tell already we need massive help from the crowd, massive,” Klopp said before the game.

“The period is so intense and we need to use each source we can use for these games, and hopefully our people are rested enough to be at their absolute best, because that’s exactly what we need.”

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum, Lallana; Salah, Mane, Firmino

Substitutes: Adrian, Williams, Milner, Keita, Jones, Elliott, Origi

Wolves: Patricio; Dendoncker, Coady, Kilman; Bennett, Moutinho, Neves, Otto; Neto, Vinagre, Jota

Substitutes: Ruddy, Otasowie, Saiss, Doherty, Adama, Cutrone, Jimenez

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