Jota benched, “immense” £36m titan unleashed in 7 changes: Predicted Liverpool XI

Jurgen Klopp could be set to ring the changes from the Liverpool team which knocked Norwich out of the FA Cup on Wednesday night, with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane potentially returning to the starting XI against West Ham at Anfield this evening.

Roberto Firmino (muscle), Thiago Alcantara (hamstring), Curtis Jones (thigh), Joel Matip (illness) and Naby Keita (unknown) are all unavailable for the clash with the Champions League hopefuls, but Klopp is still expected to deploy a very strong team.

With that in mind, here is our predicted Liverpool line-up for this evening, which shows seven changes from the starting XI from midweek:

We think Alisson will retain his place in the side after coming-back into the team in the week following Caoimhin Kelleher’s heroics in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea last weekend.

In defence, Virgil Van Dijk returns, as do Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, after Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez and James Milner filled in during the week to give the trio an important rest.

We expect £36m man Ibrahima Konate, who has been hailed as “immense” by Rio Ferdinand, to keep his place alongside the returning Van Dijk at the heart of the back four.

In midfield, Fabinho and Harvey Elliott should come in for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the injured Curtis Jones, with the Brazilian expected to stay in the middle, the 18-year-old lining out on the left and Jordan Henderson on the right.

Should Diogo Jota be rested for Liverpool?

Up top, we think Takumi Minamino will be given a chance from the start after netting the match-winning brace against Norwich in midweek, while Salah and Mane return in place of Diogo Jota and Divock Origi.

The Portuguese forward has averaged a match-rating of just under 6.5 over the last four games according to SofaScore, having played in every Liverpool league match since mid-October, so he could be given a rare rest in favour of the in-form Japanese maestro this evening.

In other news: Klopp can terrify West Ham by unleashing Liverpool outcast who could be a “new Luis Suarez”