Liverpool has confirmed its 20-man traveling squad for the Club World Cup in Qatar. Georginio Wijnaldum is included. However, Dejan Lovren will miss out.
Youngsters Rhian Brewster, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliot, and Neco Williams had originally been named in the traveling squad. But, it seems these plans had changed because only Williams has been retained.
Liverpool meets Monterrey on Wednesday. The game comes 24 hours after an EFL Cup quarter-final at Aston Villa.
Midfielder Wijnaldum picked up a muscle injury in Saturday’s win over Watford. Defender, Lovren sustained an injury too during the Champions League victory over Salzburg on Tuesday.
The Premier League leaders are fielding different teams in the two competitions. The club said the alternative dates for the EFL Cup tie were not considered suitable “without compromising the scheduling of the competition itself or placing an undue strain on our playing staff.”
Liverpool’s under 23 coach, Neil Critchley is expected to take charge of a youthful side for Tuesday’s game at Villa Park.
Klopp has thereafter been forced to rotate his squad in recent weeks due to a busy fixture schedule with a number of young players involved.
“With Gini’s injury and Dejan’s three or four days ago, I don’t know who was injured three days before that but for sure, the somebody-our squad is not getting bigger.” Said Klopp.
“Our main problem is about losing players. We are fine with the number of fixtured but losing players does not make it any easier.”
Liverpool is competing in seven competitions this season. The club could play up to 76 games in 300 days if they go all the way in each of them.
Included in the Club World Cup squad are:
- Alisson
- Van Dijk
- Wijnaldum
- Milner
- Keita
- Firmino
- Mane
- Salah
- Gomez
- Adrian
- Henderson
- Oxlade-Chamberlain
- Lallana
- Lonergan
- Shaqiri
- Robertson
- Origi
- Jones
- Alexander Arnold
- Williams.