Liverpool are back in action this evening, as the Reds host Toulouse in the third matchday of the Europa League group stages.
Jurgen Klopp’s side currently sit at the top of Group E after winning their opening two games, however another challenge must be overcome before the Premier League outfit can take their foot off the gas in the competition.
After seeing his squad struck by injury in the opening stages of the 2023/24 campaign, Klopp will have some decisions to make ahead of tonight’s showdown with Toulouse.
Liverpool team news vs Toulouse
From today, Liverpool will face three games in the next six days, with challenges coming this evening, on Sunday in the Premier League and on the following Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.
There is a huge requirement for rotation during the upcoming winter period, and luckily for Klopp, his injury list has been shortened over the past week as forward Cody Gakpo has returned to training after suffering a knock.
Liverpool's next six fixtures
Opponent
H/A
Competition
Date
Toulouse
H
Europa League
26/10/23
Nottingham Forest
H
Premier League
29/10/23
Bournemouth
A
Carabao Cup
01/11/23
Luton Town
A
Premier League
05/11/23
Toulouse
A
Europa League
09/11/23
Brentford
H
Premier League
12/11/23
The Dutchman will give the Reds added resources going forward in what is set to be a busy period, however there are still some shortages throughout the squad, especially at left-back.
In his pre-match press conference, Klopp confirmed that his prized full-back, Andy Robertson, had undergone surgery to repair a shoulder injury he sustained whilst on international duty with Scotland.
It’s been reported that the defender may be out of action for the next three months, giving the manager a slight headache for selection, a pain that could be relieved by considering his fringe players, such as Luke Chambers.
The stats that show why Chambers should start against Toulouse
Klopp opted to start Kostas Tsimikas in the Merseyside derby, however he was hooked just after the hour mark to allow more attacking reinforcements to be deployed.
The Greek international could then be rotated in favour of the 19-year-old, Chambers, who returned to Anfield in the summer after a successful half-season loan spell at Kilmarnock.
The teenager was on the bench against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise last time out in the Europa League, telling of how valued he is by Klopp in the early days of his career.
During his time in the Scottish Premiership, Chambers showcased his ability to operate as an attacking full-back, averaging one key pass per game, a decimal not too far from Robertson’s 1.6 key passes averaged in the Premier League last term.
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes took the opportunity to wax lyrical over the youngster last season, dubbing him as “outstanding” and being a “mature” and “calm” defender.
Such praise is supported by his defensive averages that campaign, in which he recorded 2.1 tackles and won 62% of his ground duels for Kilmarnock, giving Klopp a topic to think about ahead of tonight’s game.
No one can replace the consistent brilliance of Robertson, however in unleashing Chambers, Liverpool could have an answer to the Scot’s injury woes and potentially identify a seed for the future as an eventual heir to the 29-year-old.
Rotation is critical for the challenges ahead, and Klopp could make a surprise switch in defence by giving the 19-year-old a chance to flourish on the European stage.