Liverpool will encounter midfield issues against Leeds.
And so it begins at Anfield, where Jurgen Klopp has promised to attack, not defend, Liverpool’s Premier League title.
Come Saturday, recently promoted Leeds United will invade Anfield after a sixteen year absence. James Milner was a young lad on that Leeds side back in ‘03. Hopefully he’ll will get to see some minutes against his boyhood club.
The Premier League returns quickly after a shortened summer break and preseason. The Reds will desperate to get off with their best foot forward start to the new campaign.
Our defense looks solid for first team choice selections, with Trent Alexander-Arnold being the only questionable starter at this point due to his fitness concerns. Allison, Andrew Robertson, Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dink are all fit and raring to go.
Joel Matip is also match fit having scored a goal on his return from injury against Blackpool, Saturday last. Look for Milner to be given the starting nod if Alexander-Arnold isn’t match fit to start.
The front three are fit and already inked in on the starting sheet. We know their names. Mo Salah will be hunting his centennial goal for the Reds, so I expect he will be hungry here at home.
The issues for the gaffer will once again come in midfield, as usual of late. Fabinho is fit by all accounts and will start in the 6 role. I look to see Naby Keita get a nod here as he had a splendid go of it during the restart at the end of last campaign and during the summer friendlies in Austria and against Blackpool in their last tune-up.
I’m thinking Gini Wijnaldum will get the start over Jordan Henderson, who has only recently returned to full training at Melwood. This will make VVD or Milner skipper for this tie.
I do expect to see Henderson get a run out at some point to give him some much needed minutes in his return to full match fitness.
The lads – Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, and Neco Williams will all be returning from their respective national team duty last week in the Nations League competition.
Liverpool’s wealth of young talented first team hopefuls, having put on a splendid, and for some, brilliant effort against Blackpool, particularly in the second half, will also be waiting in the wings.
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Harvey Elliot, Curtis Jones, Ki-Jana Hoever, as well as Neco Williams, could possibly be included on the bench. Takumi Minamino looks good for a substitute role as his form has been very good over the sumner friendlies.
I look for Leeds to come at the Reds and be strong on the counter. Liverpool should dominate possession; and should control the midfield. Leeds will be looking to pinch the full-backs against the touchline in their own half with traps to force the Reds to operate through the middle if the park.
This is where Wijnaldum and Keita will be key in attempting to link passes forward to Firmino, Robertson, and a probable Milner on the flanks going forward into the final third.
Liverpool’s defense has been a tad porous since football resumed in June; so I will be watching for Van Dijk and co. to be cracking at the back. I’m sure Klopp has addressed the defensive issues we have seen, as this was apparent in the nine restart games, the Community Shield tie with Arsenal, and the friendlies against Salzburg and Blackpool.
A clean sheet here is not out of the question from the Reds, but it will require a good team effort and perhaps an early goal or two before the half. Make no mistake here, Leeds will be coming at the champions with all they’ve got, as they will have something to prove to the league after such a long absence from the top flight.
Their credentials and quality are a question that they will want to answer against the champions, Liverpool.