There are two Liverpool players Jurgen Klopp will consider dropping against Atalanta tomorrow.
Last Thursday evening, as Liverpool left the field at Anfield, nobody really had any hopes of a comeback. The Reds’ fate had seemingly been sealed.
But time can change perspectives in an instant and heal all wounds. Fast forward six more days, and now a comeback doesn’t seem that farfetched against Atalanta.
Liverpool after all desperately need a strong result. A defeat against Crystal Palace means the club’s title hopes in the Premier League have been dashed.
Strangely, perhaps the Reds’ best chance of winning a trophy still lies in the Europa League, even if Liverpool have to overturn a 3-0 deficit.
Why Jurgen Klopp needs to drop Wataru Endo against Atalanta
In order to stand any chance of a comeback, Jurgen Klopp will need to make changes. His players are jaded and have played a lot of football this season.
One of the first changes who could be left out of the starting XI from the Crystal Palace game could be Wataru Endo.
The Japanese international captain has been brilliant at times this season. However, he has played a lot of games, and he looks knackered.
Against Crystal Palace, Endo really struggled to cover the ground needed to plug the gaps in Liverpool’s midfield. Palace were thus able to exploit Liverpool’s weaknesses and cause the defence plenty of problems.
Coming up against a dangerous Atalanta side, Liverpool will want to avoid that again. Therefore, he may opt to give Endo a rest and instead deploy either Alexis Mac Allister or someone else in that role.
Why Darwin Nunez should also be dropped by Jurgen Klopp
The other player who definitely doesn’t warrant a place in the starting XI at the moment is Darwin Nunez.
He just hasn’t been clinical enough in front of goals and has missed a lot of chances. It almost seems like he has gotten a little bit complacent in terms of his finishing.
A little time on the bench could be the wake-up call he needs. It’s definitely something Klopp should consider.
Especially since Diogo Jota is now back to full fitness and Cody Gakpo has also made a really positive impression during his last few cameo appearances.