Liverpool plays Borussia Dortmund at the Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana as the team kicks off its US tour on Friday night.
The game will start at 1:05am UK time on Saturday but at 8:05pm on Friday night in Indiana in a fixture pitting Liverpool against Bundesliga giants Dortmund.
At this stage, with a couple of 45-minute appearances under their belts, some players will be hoping for at least 60 minutes of action against Klopp’s former club.
Youngsters like Rhian Brewster and Harry Wilson can expect a significant run out against Dortmund. Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may also play most of the game to aid their return to full match fitness.
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané and Alisson are all still away. In fact, Mané is still technically playing last season’s games! He lines out in the AFCON final with Senegal on Friday night.
With Virgil van Dijk, Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson now back in action too, Klopp has more first-team players to choose from in the USA than he did for the Tranmere and Bradford City games.
Simon Mignolet will most likely start in goals again. Mignolet started against both Tranmere and Bradford City in Alisson’s absence.
Nathaniel Clyne could start at right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold coming on after an hour or maybe even at half-time.
Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez will probably be the centre-back pairing Klopp opts for. Nathaniel Phillips started both friendlies so far but he may have to make way for more senior players now. He could get some game-time in the second half, partnering Dutch colossus Van Dijk at the back when Lovren and Gomez go off. Though it’s likely Matip will be preferred to Phillips as The Reds’ coaching staff look to get all the first-team regulars up to an optimum fitness level before August.
Yasser Larouci should start on the left of the back four with Adam Lewis replacing him at half-time, or vice-versa.
In midfield, it will probably be the same starting trio from the first two friendlies with Lallana in the ‘6’ role alongside James Milner and Oxlade-Chamberlain. Wijnaldum, Fabinho and Henderson will be expecting some action as well but may have to settle for 30 to 40 minutes in the second half.
In the attacking third, Harry Wilson and Rhian Brewster should start and play more than 45 minutes each. On the left, it will be a toss-up between Ryan Kent and Divock Origi. Both players will probably play a half apiece.
Predicted Liverpool starting lineup v Borussia Dortmund (4-3-3): Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Gomez, Larouci; Milner(c), Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Wilson, Brewster, Kent
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