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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp set to axe one senior player as crucial squad decision looms
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp faces a big decision.
Brighton V Liverpool in pictures
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will need to axe one senior player from his Champions League squad if he is to register Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and new signing Cody Gakpo. The Reds can only call on the services of 25 men in the competition meaning someone from the current squad will need to be culled to make room.
Liverpool have endured a terrible season domestically after failing to string together a decent run of form. The Reds have already been knocked out both the FA and League Cups while the club also sit 21 points off Premier League leaders Arsenal leaving their chances of winning the title as a near impossibility.
As a result, the Champions League has become the club’s only chance of silverware this season, putting even more focus and pressure on the competition. Now, Klopp must make the tough choice of who to leave out of the squad with the selection deadline on Thursday.
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita were initially left out of the squad this season with the duo unlikely to return to fitness in time to play any part in the group stage. They have since returned from injury and will likely receive a place in the 25-man squad with Klopp calling on their services frequently in recent weeks.
As the latest addition to the club, Gakpo is also likely to command a place in the squad giving the German a decision to make. He must withdraw someone who is already signed up to represent the club in the competition leaving them at home for some of the biggest games of the season.
Summer signings Arthur and Calvin Ramsey appear to be among the most likely candidates to miss out with the duo commanding little game time this season. Both players have suffered with injuries but are well down the pecking order and unlikely to be called upon unless it is an emergency.
However, Klopp could still spring a surprise by leaving out one of his more experienced heads. The 55-year-old has been keen to stress that he is not too loyal to his current players and will be prepared to move them on if need be.
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"I heard I'm too loyal but I am not too loyal,” he told reporters in January. “The problem is too complex. If you can then go out and bring in another player to replace him, then it makes sense.”
It remains to be seen what Liverpool’s Champions League squad will look like but it is clear that Klopp has a major decision to make.