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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Liverpool - Barcelona: Salah, Firmino replacement options

Liverpool must overturn a 3-0 first-leg Champions League deficit against Barcelona, but will be without Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

Barcelona
Liverpool - Barcelona: Salah, Firmino replacement options
Phil NobleREUTERS

Following Jürgen Klopp's confirmation that Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are both out of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona on Tuesday, the Reds boss will be forced to send out an unfamiliar attack.

With the Premier League title-chasers needing to overturn a 3-0 deficit to reach June's final at the Wanda Metropolitano, it seems unlikely that Klopp will repeat his conservative first-leg tactic of fielding Georginio Wijnaldum as a false nine.

Origi for Firmino, Shaqiri for Salah?

Divock Origi, Liverpool's match winner against Newcastle United this weekend, is the big favourite to deputise for Firmino at centre-forward. As he showed at St James' Park, the Belgian would further boost the aerial prowess of a side that already has Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Fabinho...

Meanwhile, in the wake of the news that Salah has not recovered sufficiently from the head injury he suffered at Newcastle, fellow left-footer Xherdan Shaqiri looks best placed to come into the Egyptian's inside-out role on the right of the front three.

A groin injury means that Firmino also misses out against Barcelona this Tuesday.
Full screen
A groin injury means that Firmino also misses out against Barcelona this Tuesday.Getty Images

Alexander-Arnold pushing for inclusion

There are also question marks elsewhere in the side. Fresh from supplying two assists on Sunday, Trent Alexander-Arnold is pushing to start at right-back ahead of Joe Gomez, who got the nod at the Camp Nou. His dead-ball ability could be crucial.

Liverpool's potential XI against Barcelona:

Liverpool's most probable line-up against Barça would appear to be: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Wijnaldum, Fabinho; Shaqiri, Origi, Mané.