Jamie Carragher shares who he thinks Liverpool boss will pick alongside Joe Gomez on Sunday

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Reds boss Jurgen Klopp will pick Joel Matip for their big Premier League weekend clash.

The reigning champions are preparing for a tough away game at Manchester City on Sunday, and they’ll have to do so without Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho.

In Liverpool’s last two games, against Atalanta in the Champions League and West Ham in the league, Klopp gave starts to academy graduates Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams.

Joel Matip was fit enough to take a spot on the bench against Atalanta and, judging by a recent report in the Liverpool Echo, Matip should be fine to start at the weekend.

“I think he’ll go with Matip, the big-game experience, and he wasn’t shy in putting him straight in against Everton, as well, another tough game for Liverpool away from home,” Carragher told Sky Sports.

“The only thing is fitness and playing games, but I don’t think that’s ever really been a problem for Matip because he’s injured so often he’s always in that position where he’s coming back without having had the full training programme or games under his belt or a pre-season because he is very injury prone.

“I actually think Matip has possibly been ready for the last game or two and the manager has almost kept him in reserve for the City game and making sure he’s got two recognised senior centre-backs for that City game. I fully expect Matip to play in this game.”

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Liverpool fans will hope Carragher’s comments about Matip having been ready but just being rested are true, as it would mean the Cameroonian would be fully ready to go against a tough opponent.

While Phillips and Williams are talented youngsters who’ve proven they’ve got what it takes at the top level, it would be an incredibly tough ask to go up against the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Ferran Torres at this stage.