Liverpool expected XI vs Watford with changes

Liverpool expected XI vs Watford with changes needed due to missing South American stars Both Alisson and Fabinho will miss Liverpool’s trip to Watford, with boss Jurgen Klopp set to make several changes for the Reds first Premier League game after the international break

Jurgen Klopp will be forced into making at least two changes to his starting line-up for Liverpool’s trip to Watford on Saturday.

Both Alisson and Fabinho will miss the visit to Vicarage Road having featured in the Brazil squad for their final World Cup qualifier of the international break against Uruguay on Friday morning UK time.

With the game set to kick-off at lunchtime, neither Alisson nor Fabinho would have been able to fly back to England in time to feature in the clash with the Hornets.

Instead, the Brazilian duo have flown straight to Madrid ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League visit to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Klopp has insisted that it is a situation he has known about for some time, making the decision at an early point.

“We’ve known it for a while, we made our decision a while ago, we had to sort quarantine issues and all these kind of things,” he said.

“So the decision we made is the boys will not be here – they will go directly to Madrid, wait there for us and then hopefully be able to play against Atletico.

“They will come back slightly later than us, 10 days [is] over then and then they can come back and are in our normal procedure again and that’s it.”

The absence of Alisson means that Caoimhin Kelleher is set to make his first Premier League appearance of the season in goal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to be fit enough to play and will replace James Milner at right-back following the latter’s challenging evening against Manchester City.

With Virigil van Dijk having started both of the Netherlands’ World Cup qualifiers in the international break, the defender could be rested ahead of the Atletico trip.

That could see Joe Gomez and Joel Matip line up at centre-back, which would be the former’s first Premier League start of the season.

Andy Robertson will keep his place at left-back, fresh from notching two assists in Scotland’s win over Israel.

Jordan Henderson should fill in for Fabinho in the holding role in the midfield three that Klopp will play.

He should be joined in that trio by Naby Keita, with Milner moving into midfield from the right-back spot he was selected in against City.

Diogo Jota is set to be available after recovering from injury and should beat out Roberto Firmino for the central role in the attacking three.

Forming the rest of Liverpool’s attack will be Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, who have been in fine form this season.