Jurgen Klopp‘s Liverpool side will hope to brush off the disappointment of last weekend’s Community Shield loss at penalties to Manchester City, and start the new Premier League season with a win in their opener against Norwich City.
The Reds finished second to the Citizens in the table last season, and will view the opener against the newly-promoted East Anglian side managed by Daniel Farke as an opportunity to start the season on the right track.
Klopp’s squad is at near full-strength, with only a few injuries to start the season. However, Norwich have had an injury to their centre-backs Timm Klose (hip) and Christoph Zimmermann (knee), which will likely see Grant Hanley start.
Here is how Liverpool could line up:
Defence
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Alisson will start in goal as the incumbent netminder, while favoured wing-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson will take up either flank of the pitch to run their usual doglegs – especially given Nathaniel Clyne’s knee injury. Vrigil Van Dijk will also be expected to start at centre-back, while Joe Gomez is the current favourite to partner him.
Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip are also fit to start, and may feature if Klopp decides on a different pairing.
Possible starters: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Gomez, Robertson
Midfield
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Fabinho has played a lot of minutes in midfield during Liverpool’s preseason and played in the Community Shield against Manchester City. He is expected to anchor the midfield against Norwich, with both Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum either side of him, as Naby Keita narrowly missing out.
James Milner has a muscle issue and is therefore unlikely to feature. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain featured regularly in preseason and could make an appearance.
Possible starters: Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson
Attack
The main question for Jurgen Klopp for the opening day is whether Sadio Mané should be rested further. The Senegalese spent a large part of the summer representing in the African Cup of Nations, and has only had two weeks off. He hasn’t featured in Liverpool’s preseason schedule, with Divock Origi playing on the right flank against Manchester City in the Community Shield.
The same may happen again if Klopp wishes to give Mane more of a rest – given that it is Norwich, you’d expect he may. Otherwise, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino will start in their regular positions.
Klopp told reporters: “He only had two weeks off, so you don’t lose a lot — that’s the good news!”
“He looks fit, yes he’s an option. Yesterday was his first session with the team, because Monday he came in at 4 o’clock when we had already left, then Tuesday the team was off and he had his individual session, yesterday now with the team first time.
“He looks absolutely OK, in good spirits and looking forward to it. So yes, he’s an option, but we will see.”
Cryptic.
Possible starters: Salah, Firmino, Origi
Here is how Liverpool could line up:
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