Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has opted to take a second-string squad to face PSV Eindhoven and leave the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker at home, meaning Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caomhin Kelleher is set to start.
Corkman Kelleher started the Champions League wins over RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid while first-choice Alisson was out injured but his only appearance since 18 December was in the FA Cup victory over Accrington on 11 January.
Seven successive wins mean Liverpool's progress is already secured as the Champions League leaders are guaranteed to finish no lower than second and will claim top spot with a point in the Netherlands.
Saturday's trip to high-flying Bournemouth is the priority, with a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League to extend or protect, and Slot has decided to rest nine of the players who started in the 4-1 win over Ipswich at the weekend for the eighth game of a nine-match run in 27 days.
Only Andy Robertson and former PSV forward Cody Gakpo are retained from Saturday’s starting line-up, which means the other senior players left on Merseyside are Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz.
It also means academy players Jayden Danns and Trey Nyoni, both of whom have made first-team appearances this season, Kieran Morrison, Isaac Mabaya, Trent Kone-Doherty, Amara Nallo, James Norris, James McConnell and Derry native Trent Kone-Doherty have all travelled.
Eighteen-year-old Kone-Doherty joined Liverpool from Derry City in July 2022 and signed his first professional contract with the club a year later.
Former St Pat's loanee keeper Vitezslav Jaros is also in the squad.
Defender Joe Gomez returned to training on Tuesday after missing seven matches with a hamstring injury but he too has remained on Merseyside to continue his recovery.
Midfielder Curtis Jones, who missed Saturday’s win over Ipswich with a groin problem, and striker Diogo Jota, who has been out for a fortnight with a muscle injury, have yet to rejoin the squad.
Slot was asked if he was scared at the prospect of facing the Dutch champions and current Eredivisie leaders without most of his major stars.
"I wouldn't say I’m scared. It took me while to understand this new format but I am 100 per cent sure it doesn’t matter at all if we end up one or two; the result has no importance," he said.
"We play PSV and then Bournemouth and then Tottenham (in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final).
"I’m especially working on PSV and Bournemouth and this is exceptional as normally I would only be looking at PSV – but I’m looking at Bournemouth as well.
"All the ones who I left behind could have played tomorrow but if you look back at our season almost every three, four or five weeks we gave them a break if there was a moment to give them some freshness back.
"They will be off tomorrow, if it is possible we prefer to have them off three days before a game but it is not always possible, and a few staff members will go home earlier on Thursday morning to train those that have stayed behind."
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