Liverpool predicted XI v Maribor: Young Reds set to shine

Liverpool will welcome Slovenian side Maribor to Anfield this week in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Here is our predicted XI for this European clash.

The weekend saw Liverpool return to winning ways with a comfortable (in the end) 3-0 victory at Anfield. Despite missing both Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho through injury the Reds’ forward line got the goals needed to put away the Premier League new comers.

Most encouraging was the dominate defensive performance in a dramatic correction to the previous game’s disaster against Spurs at Wembley. Liverpool let Huddersfield have no shots on goal, no shots in the box and let them have no clear-cut chances.

Now attention turns to the Champions League. Maribor are next up at Anfield in the reverse of the last Champions League fixture; a 7-0 thrashing in Slovenia. Manager Jürgen Klopp put out a very strong XI that day. After the ease of that win and with a few players carrying knocks he may make more changes this time around.

Klopp will want to put out his strongest side against West Ham on Saturday at the Olympic Park. A win going into the international break will be a huge boost. The side could welcome back Mane and Adam Lallana after the break and have a fit squad heading into the winter fixtures.

Here is our Predicted XI for Liverpool v Maribor on Wednesday:

Goalkeeper

You book this one in. Loris Karius has started every Champions League group game so far and that looks set to continue on Wednesday. Despite some errors in the first two games Klopp has persisted with the Liverpool number 2 keeper. He was a passenger against Maribor in the first leg and shouldn’t have too much to do again this week.

It makes sense to give him the minutes as Simon Mignolet has not covered himself in glory in the Premier League this season. If Karius finishes the group games strongly he could well see an opportunity come his way in the league also.