Liverpool take on Chelsea on Sunday afternoon to contest the first piece of domestic silverware on offer this season in the Carabao Cup final.
Jurgen Klopp does have problems though, with his assistant manager Pep Lijnders already confirming they will be without Roberto Firmino for the final and that Diogo Jota faces a ‘challenge’ to be fit in time.
Without the two key players up top, it provides Klopp with a selection headache prior to the Wembley clash, but it does give someone else the chance to stand up and be the hero.
Ian Doyle quoted Jordan Henderson who said it was a ‘blow’ to be without Firmino and that his fingers are crossed for Jota who ‘might still have a chance.’
Should Origi start the final?
Yes
No
Klopp headache?
If Jota joins Firmino on the absent list for the final, it certainly offers Klopp a far from ideal situation. He will be without two key attackers which will not only weaken the starting side but also the options he’ll have on the bench.
Jota is the second top scorer in the Premier League with 12 goals. Only Mo Salah is ahead of him. Firmino has always been cited as a key component to Liverpool’s style of play, with his manager comparing him to someone who plays ‘12 instruments in our orchestra.’
The German manager is left with a tough decision, does he keep deploying Sadio Mane down the middle and name the same front three for a third consecutive game, or does he turn to Divock Origi or Takumi Minamino?
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Chance for Origi or Minamino?
Divock Origi is set to go down in Anfield folklore for his impact at the club in key moments. He was on hand to bag a brace against Barcelona to help the reds overcome a 3-0 first leg deficit against Lionel Messi’s Barcelona with the famous ‘corner taken quickly’ goal. He then came off the bench in the final to score the clinching goal in the 2-0 win against Spurs.
He also scored the dramatic winner infornt of the Kop in a Merseyside Derby after a Jordan Pickford howler, sending Klopp wild, running onto the Anfield pitch!
The Belgian is undoubtedly a man for the big occasion, scoring big goals on the biggest of stages. Occasions don’t get much bigger than Wembley finals, so it could be a huge chance for another historic Origi moment in Liverpool red.
Minamino is also a viable option for Klopp and has shown that in this competition so far. The Japanese ace has already bagged four times in the Carabao Cup and is just one goal behind the top scorers.
So while two key players are missing for Klopp, he certainly has qualified options to fill the void.
In other news, Luis Diaz drops positive news on Instagram