On Thursday, Liverpool will play Toulouse in the Europa League, and Curtis Jones might make his comeback to the starting lineup.

 

After receiving a red card in the Reds’ 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur last month, Jones has been ineligible for the team’s last two Premier League games. After consulting the VAR, referee Simon Hooper changed the midfielder’s yellow card to a red for his challenge on Yves Bissouma.

Jones was suspended for three games and was forced to watch Liverpool’s matches against Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton from the sidelines after Liverpool’s appeal to the Football Association was denied.

The 22-year-old could replace Ryan Gravenberch in the starting lineup for Liverpool’s third Group E Europa League match because his suspension does not apply to UEFA tournaments.

On Saturday, Gravenberch made his Premier League debut alongside fellow newcomers Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister against Everton. He had joined the club on the final day of the transfer window from German champions Bayern Munich.

Liverpool will move closer to qualifying for the knockout round with a win over the Ligue 1 side at Anfield on Thursday, and they will be assured of at least advancing to the round of 32 if they win the return tie in France next month.

Wataru Endo, who has started just one Premier League game for the Reds since his surprising summer signing from Stuttgart, is expected to join Jones in the engine room on Thursday night. To round out the midfield, Harvey Elliott might play on the right wing.

Kostas Tsimikas is anticipated to continue starting at center back in place of the injured Andy Robertson, though it is more likely that the younger Luke Chambers will get a start in the defense next week against Bournemouth in the League Cup. Both Joel Matip and Jarell Quansah are candidates to start at center back. The goalkeeper position will remain with Caoimhin Kelleher.

Meanwhile, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah are set to preserve their starting spots after scoring in the winning effort in the 243rd Merseyside derby, while Darwin Nunez should return to the forefront following an outstanding late cameo against Everton on Saturday afternoon.

However, Klopp may decide to rest the Egyptian on Thursday after he has started 11 of Liverpool’s 12 games so far this season.

Liverpool’s probable starting eleven against Toulouse: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold; Matip; Quansah; Tsimikas; Endo; Elliott; Jones; Diaz; Nunez; Salah.