There were no surprise absences as Liverpool trained on the eve of their clash with Ajax, but Jurgen Klopp called in five youngsters from the academy ranks.
The Reds are currently without nine players due to injury as they prepare for what is expected to be the final game of September, with Ajax travelling to Anfield on Tuesday.
With the trip to Chelsea on Sunday expected to be postponed, a 17-day break – which includes international duty for many players – will hopefully ease the situation when it comes to fitness.
Monday brought the news that Andy Robertson is now sidelined with a knee injury, with Klopp confirming he would be absent until after the international break.
He joins Caoimhin Kelleher, Calvin Ramsay, Ibrahima Konate, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and Kaide Gordon on the treatment table.
A 24-man squad were pictured at the AXA Training Centre on Monday evening, including youngsters Stefan Bajcetic, Isaac Mabaya and Luke Chambers.
The trio could all make the bench at Anfield, with Bajcetic required to fill in for the four unavailable midfielders while Mabaya and Chambers could cover for Ramsay and Robertson respectively.
Goalkeepers Fabian Mrozek and Marcelo Pitaluga, the latter of whom is on loan with Macclesfield, also joined the group, working alongside Alisson and Adrian.
Klopp was able to welcome back Fabio Carvalho, who missed the 4-1 thrashing at Napoli due to a dead leg, with the Portuguese taking part in a spirited session on a dreary day in Kirkby.
The manager could recall Carvalho to his starting lineup for the clash with Ajax, though a midfield trio of Fabinho, Thiago and Harvey Elliott is more likely.
Kostas Tsimikas is a guaranteed starter at left-back, while Joel Matip‘s presence in the pre-match press conference suggests he will take over from Joe Gomez at centre-back.
Roberto Firmino led the line between Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz last Wednesday, but there is a chance Klopp turns to either Darwin Nunez or Diogo Jota at Anfield.
The primary focus, however, will be on defence, as the manager told reporters.
“Everything we did since I’m here and everything my teams do in football is based on really solid, if not nearly perfect, defending,” Klopp said.
“That’s where it all starts and that’s where we had to work on. That’s what we did.”
Liverpool squad in training on Monday
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Adrian, Pitaluga, Mrozek
Defenders: Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold, Tsimikas, Mabaya, Chambers
Midfielders: Thiago, Fabinho, Elliott, Milner, Carvalho, Arthur, Bajcetic
Forwards: Salah, Diaz, Firmino, Jota, Nunez
