Liverpool have confirmed their squad for the FIFA Club World Cup. Reds midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum will travel despite limping off against Watford on Saturday. The Reds have a hectic week coming up, with Liverpool playing Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night before facing Monterrey on Wednesday in Qatar.
Many expected Jurgen Klopp to take his stars to the Club World Cup, leaving the youngsters to face Villa in the Carabao Cup.
And the Liverpool boss has opted to do just that, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk all travelling to Qatar.
It looked like Reds midfielder Wijnaldum would miss out, however, after the Dutch ace was forced off during Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Watford on Saturday.
Wijnaldum limped off, with Klopp saying after their win he wasn’t sure how long he would be without the midfielder.
However, the Dutchman has been included in their Club World Cup squad in a major boost to the Reds.
Liverpool boss Klopp was asked after the Watford win about the possibility of expanding the Champions League.
However, the German said it’s b***ocks to add more games to the schedule.
“We have to cut off games not put more in. Until then we have to do what we do,” said Klopp.
“Today I read the top clubs want more games in the Champions League.
“I am not involved in these plans. That’s absolute b***ocks.”
Liverpool’s win against Watford leaves the Reds 10 points ahead of Leicester in the title race.
Mohamed Salah was Liverpool’s main man against Watford, with the Egypt international netting a brace with his weaker right foot.
The winger explained after the game how he’s been working on his right foot to cause rivals even more problems.
He said: “I’m practising my right foot! I had good luck in the first goal.
“It was a counter-attack, Sadio played a good ball and I think I score in the right time.
“We played against a tough team today. I think they should be [in a] better position than what they are. Hopefully we keep winning.
“I think now we have more experience, we play together for three or four years.
“We know when we can make the game calm, when we make it fast. Sometimes the crowd get panicked a little bit but we have experience.
“We won a few games like 1-0, so it’s fine.”
Liverpool midfielder James Milner added: “Sometimes you’ve just got to scrap it out, it can’t always be nice and pretty football.
“But that’s an important result today to get those three points in the way we did, battling it out. Then obviously with what’s coming up it was a big time to get the three points.
“Keep recovering, concentrate on the next game and prepare and go again. This team is so good at that, really good mentality.
“It’s not easy but that’s the price of being successful. We want to win every game and keep pushing.
“You can see the quality in the squad because changes are being made all the time and that’s what we need to do.”
Liverpool’s Club World Cup squad:
Alisson, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Gomez, Adrian, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Lonergan, Shaqiri, Robertson, Origi, Jones, Alexander-Arnold, Williams.
