Liverpool drop Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk & 7 other key players for Champions League trip to PSV ahead of crunch Premier League clash at Bournemouth

The Reds are heading to the Netherlands without several high-profile players, with Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Luis Díaz, Salah, and Van Dijk all missing out. This marks significant rotation in the squad as Slot focuses on Liverpool’s challenging Premier League and Carabao Cup schedule in the coming days.

Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to start between the sticks, giving the backup goalkeeper a rare chance to impress in a high-profile European fixture. Other players such as Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott are likely to feature. Cody Gakpo, who previously played for PSV, has also travelled with the squad and could play against his former team.

The 21-man squad for the PSV match includes a number of promising young players, with 17-year-old Trey Nyoni headlining the list. This match serves as a platform for Nyoni to continue his development under Slot’s careful guidance. Other academy products, such as Tyler Morton, James McConnell, and Jayden Danns are also part of the travelling group. The trio have been attracting interest from Championship clubs, with potential loan moves being explored ahead of the January transfer deadline.

Liverpool squad

Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies.

Defenders: Quansah, Bradley, Norris, Nallo, Tsimikas, Robertson.

Midfielders: Endo, Mabaya, McConnell, Morrison, Morton, Nyoni.

Forwards: Chiesa, Gakpo, Elliott, Kone-Doherty, Danns, Nunez.

Liverpool’s Champions League journey has been flawless so far, with the team winning all seven of their group-stage matches. Regardless of the outcome against PSV, Liverpool are guaranteed a top-two finish, further justifying Slot’s decision to rest his main stars. Following the trip to in-form Bournemouth, their schedule becomes even more demanding next week as they prepare to host Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, the Reds face an uphill battle to secure a place in the final.