Explanation provided for Naby Keita’s absence from Liverpool squad to take on West Brom
Last Updated: December 27, 2020 4:45 pm
An explanation for Naby Keita’s complete omission from Liverpool’s matchday squad to take on West Bromwich Albion has this evening been forthcoming.
Liverpool vs West Brom
Jurgen Klopp’s men are set to get the defence of their title back underway shortly.
The Reds will welcome Sam Allardyce’s West Brom to Anfield, for their first post-Christmas Premier League outing.
Liverpool head into proceedings aware that a win would see them open up a 5-point gap over the chasing pack atop the English top-flight table, amid a stellar recent spell of form.
The Merseysiders’ last outing saw them run riot at Selhurst Park, to eventually down Crystal Palace by a staggering seven goals to nil.
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 19: Roberto Firminho of Liverpool celebrates with Mohamed Salah after scoring their sides fifth goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park on December 19, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Adam Davy – Pool/Getty Images)
West Brom, on the other hand, saw life post-Slaven Bilic get off to an altogether underwhelming start in their own prior fixture, when the Baggies crumbled to a 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa.
‘A little bit injured’
As such, it almost goes without saying that it is the hosts who enter this evening’s exchanges at Anfield as favourites to emerge with all 3 points.
The XI tasked with getting the better of West Brom, meanwhile, was revealed a short time ago, with Jurgen Klopp having opted for two changes to the side which so impressed en route to victory at Palace.
First, Mohamed Salah returns to starting duties, at the expense of Takumi Minamino.
Curtis Jones is also handed his latest midfield berth, in place of Naby Keita:
Today’s line-up to face @WBA…#LIVWBA
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 27, 2020
Whilst Keita’s exclusion from Liverpool’s starting XI this evening has not come as too much of a shock, though, what has is his complete absence from the Reds’ matchday squad.
The Guinean impressed at Selhurst Park last weekend, having returned from a previous spell on the sidelines.
It will therefore no doubt come as a major source of concern to hear that Keita’s omission versus West Brom has in fact come on the back of yet another fitness problem for the midfielder.
Speaking ahead of kick-off on Merseyside, Jurgen Klopp confirmed that Keita is ‘a little bit injured’, though no further insight was provided into the extent of the 25-year-old’s issue:
Jurgen Klopp on Keita: “He [is], again, a little bit injured, unfortunately. Nothing else to say.” #awlfc [lfc]
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) December 27, 2020
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This article was edited by Josh Barker.
Liverpool betting odds, next game:
Liverpool vs Fulham odds: result, both teams to score, correct score & goalscorers
| Liverpool vs Fulham Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 21/10 | 13/10 |
| Fulham | 11/1 | 11/1 |
| Draw | 11/2 | 12/1 |
| Liverpool vs Fulham Goalscorers | First | Last | Anytime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah | 5/4 | 5/4 | 8/13 |
| Diogo Jota | 15/8 | 15/8 | 10/11 |
| Sadio Mane | 12/5 | 12/5 | 6/5 |
| Divock Origi | 11/4 | 11/4 | 6/4 |
| Roberto Firmino | 11/4 | 11/4 | 6/4 |
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| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester City FC | 27 | 39 | 65 |
| 2 | Manchester United FC | 27 | 21 | 51 |
| 3 | Leicester City FC | 27 | 15 | 50 |
| 4 | West Ham United FC | 26 | 9 | 45 |
| 5 | Chelsea FC | 26 | 16 | 44 |
| 6 | Liverpool FC | 26 | 13 | 43 |
| 7 | Everton FC | 25 | 5 | 43 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 25 | 14 | 39 |
| 9 | Aston Villa FC | 25 | 11 | 39 |
| 10 | Arsenal FC | 26 | 7 | 37 |
| 11 | Leeds United | 26 | -1 | 35 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 27 | -9 | 34 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace FC | 27 | -14 | 34 |
| 14 | Southampton FC | 26 | -13 | 30 |
| 15 | Burnley FC | 27 | -16 | 29 |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 26 | -7 | 26 |
| 17 | Newcastle United FC | 26 | -17 | 26 |
| 18 | Fulham FC | 26 | -11 | 23 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 26 | -35 | 17 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 27 | -27 | 14 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 17 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 15 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 14 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 13 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 13 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 12 |
| Gundogan, Ilkay | Manchester City FC | 11 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 10 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 9 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 9 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 9 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 9 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 8 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 8 |
| Aubameyang, Pierre-Emerick | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 8 |
| Mahrez, Riyad | Manchester City FC | 7 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 8 |
| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 8 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 7 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 8 |
| Maguire, Harry | Manchester United FC | 0 | 7 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 7 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 6 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 6 |
| Klich, Mateusz | Leeds United | 0 | 6 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Hojbjerg, Pierre | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 0 | 6 |
| Xhaka, Granit | Arsenal FC | 1 | 5 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 6 |
| Luiz, Douglas | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dallas, Stuart | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 10 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 10 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 8 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 6 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 6 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 6 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 5 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 5 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 5 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 5 |
| Neto, Pedro | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Shaw, Luke | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 4 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 4 |
