Liverpool get the Premier League underway against Norwich this Friday night so we take a look at the starting lineup Jurgen Klopp might select.
After an impressive performance against Manchester City during last Sunday’s Community Shield, Klopp has some big decisions to make around his first starting eleven of the season.
In goals, Alisson will start while new signing Adrian should be the reserve ‘keeper for The Reds after Simon Mignolet’s departure earlier this week.
Joel Matip’s goalscoring substitute appearance against City may well be enough to get him back his starting place ahead of Joe Gomez.
Matip and Gomez seem to be neck-and-neck in the battle to be Virgil van Dijk’s partner in central defence. Klopp could be more inclined to pick Matip on Friday after he impressed when he came on last Sunday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson will start on either side of the back four.
Fabinho should start at the base of the midfield with Jordan Henderson ahead of him. I think Naby Keita looked lively when he came on against City and would love to see him starting on Friday.
Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino will most likely start in attack. Salah, in particular, looked sharp against City, getting into many great goalscoring positions. His finishing levels will improve very soon.
The big question surrounds Sadio Mané and whether he will be risked having just returned to Melwood this Monday. However, Klopp will probably start Liverpool’s number 10 as he only had 16 days off, meaning he can’t have lost too much of last season’s sharpness.
Mané is also looking to equal Teddy Sheringham’s 24-year-old record of scoring on the opening day of the season for four consecutive years. Couple that with the fact that Mané scored five goals in six games in last season’s meetings against newly-promoted sides.
Don’t bet against him doing it again on Friday night.
For our in-depth match preview, click here.
Possible Liverpool XI Vs Norwich City (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mané
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