‘Big news for Liverpool…’ – Paul Gorst reacts to team news bombshell ahead of Man City clash | OneFootball

The absence of two players in particular from the Manchester City v Liverpool fixture this afternoon is perhaps the standout headline from the team news for either camp.

The champions will be without Erling Haaland today, with the Norwegian not even in the matchday squad due to a knee injury – he had been an unused substitute in the midweek Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.

Cody Gakpo doesn’t start either, although the Dutchman is at least fit enough to take his place on the bench for the Reds at the Etihad Stadium after he missed the games against Wolves and Aston Villa over the past week.

Gorst welcomes Gakpo’s return to the Liverpool squad

When the two line-ups were revealed 75 minutes before kick-off, Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo welcomed the return of the Netherlands winger to the LFC squad today.

The journalist wrote: “The big news for Liverpool is Cody Gakpo is back in the squad, but he is only fit enough for the bench. He has had an excellent season so hopefully he can feature at some stage.”

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Liverpool have formidable firepower on the bench today

Gakpo is among four forwards included on the Reds’ bench this afternoon, along with Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa, so Slot certainly isn’t stuck for firepower in reserve if he needs it against Man City.

He’ll nonetheless be delighted to have the ex-PSV Eindhoven attacker available once more, with the 25-year-old already netting 16 goals this season, the second-highest tally of any Liverpool player after Mo Salah.

It seems that he isn’t yet ready to play more than 45 minutes given that he isn’t included in the starting XI, although he might get a run off the bench if needed and could then come back into the line-up for the Newcastle game on Wednesday night.

Pep Guardiola might well be casting an envious glance at the Liverpool dugout over the next couple of hours as he looks at the firepower that his opposite number can call upon, particularly with Haaland missing out for this fixture.