TEAM NEWS
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah will be given until the last minute to recover from a groin injury for Saturday’s derby at Everton, says boss Jurgen Klopp.
Salah had to be substituted just after half-time of Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League win over Manchester City after scoring his 38th goal of the season.
Klopp said: “We’ve tried everything to make him available. There are 23 hours to go so let’s see what happens.”
Midfielder Idrissa Gueye should be fit for Everton after a hamstring tear.
Ashley Williams returns from a ban but Eliaquim Mangala, James McCarthy, Mason Holgate and Gylfi Sigurdsson remain injured.
Emre Can is expected to miss out for Liverpool – although it is understood he could still play again this campaign despite reports his season is over.Joel Matip, Adam Lallana and Joe Gomez and are all injured.
Toffees boss Sam Allardyce hopes his ninth-placed side can take advantage of playing the Reds in between their two Champions League quarter-final ties with City.
“It’s an advantage we could possibly take,” he said. “It’s a good time to play a derby for us in between the two Champions League games. But Jurgen has a very strong squad and they haven’t let him down all season. If he changes his squad it will still be strong and fresh.
“We have to stand on the front foot, be brave and be clinical if we get an opportunity.
“I’ve played Liverpool with other teams I’ve been with and we’ve won or drawn – and I’ve won at the big boys before so I know how to do it, but it’s a derby which makes it extra difficult.”
Klopp added: “Everton will be motivated on the highest level. They have a very good home record. They are a really good team with Yannick Bolasie back, Theo Walcott, Cenk Tosun in a good moment. They are altogether except Sigurdsson.
“That’s a good football team and they are very experienced in defence. Each Evertonian thinks at Goodison they have an extra percentage of desire. We need to be ready for that, but it’s a football game.
“In all of my derbies there’s always been an overly hard tackle. I hope we can go without that tomorrow. But we need to be ready for hard challenges, it’s a derby.”
