Forest v Liverpool team news: Alexander-Arnold benched, Darwin out

Gameweek 13 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) begins at the City Ground, where Nottingham Forest and Liverpool meet in the 12.30pm BST kick-off.

Most Premier League clubs have played three matches over the last week and none have had turnarounds as quick as Liverpool, so there is unsurprisingly more rotation from Jurgen Klopp today.

Having made five changes to his starting XI in Gameweek 12, the Reds’ head coach has done the same again this lunchtime.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is among those players dropping to the bench, while Darwin Nunez – flagged as a doubt ahead of this game – isn’t involved at all.

Thiago Alcantara doesn’t make the matchday squad, either, with Klopp explaining ahead of kick-off why those two players aren’t available today:

“No [it’s not precautionary], I wish I could do that.

“For Darwin the game comes too early, he still feels the intensity of the game muscle-wise so there was no chance he could play today. Maybe he could play tomorrow or on Monday but not today.

“And Thiago got a bad ear infection overnight. The decision was made this morning at 5.15. That’s how it is sometimes and that’s the reason for that.” – Jurgen Klopp

Jordan Henderson and Kostas Tsimikas are the other two players to make way, while Andrew Robertson, James Milner, Harvey Elliott, Fabinho and Curtis Jones are handed recalls.

If Klopp is sticking with his new-look 4-4-2, Darwin’s absence means that Mohamed Salah looks set to play through the middle alongside Roberto Firmino.

As for hosts Nottingham Forest, Neco Williams gets another start and comes face to face with his old club.

Steve Cooper’s two changes see Brennan Johnson and Orel Mangala drop to the bench and Taiwo Awoniyi and Cheikhou Kouyate return.

GAMEWEEK 13 LINE-UPS

Nottingham Forest: Henderson, Aurier, Cook, McKenna, Williams, Yates, Freuler, Kouyate, Gibbs-White, Awoniyi, Lingard.

Substitutes: Biancone, Worrall, Mangala, Hennessey, Surridge, Johnson, Dennis, Boly, Renan Lodi.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Milner, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Elliott, Fabinho, Jones, Salah, Firmino, Carvalho.

Substitutes: Adrian, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tsimikas, Clark, Bajcetic, Phillips, Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold.


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