Darwin Nunez starts as Liverpool go strong
Ian Doyle: Not saying I’m getting on in years, but I’m old enough to remember when Liverpool last played a Premier League game.
Almost a month has passed since the Reds were last in top-flight action, and they resume at home to Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon. And Jurgen Klopp finally has options. So what should he do?
Let’s start with the first name on the teamsheet - Steve Holland’s favourite player, Trent Alexander-Arnold. On the other flank of the defence is Kostas Tsimikas, with Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip at the heart. Alisson Becker is between the sticks.
In midfield, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara start, and I’d have Jordan Henderson in too. Up top, Darwin Nunez is down the middle with Luis Diaz left and Mohamed Salah on the right.
My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
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Jordan Henderson returns with Darwin Nunez leading line
Theo Squires: The run-in to the World Cup starts here. With Liverpool facing 13 games in six weeks, and their fixture list one of the most challenging as well as strenuous compared to their rivals, they desperately need to kickstart this run with a win against Brighton.
I’d leave the back five unchanged from the victory over Ajax, which feels like an eternity okay, with Kostas Tsimikas keeping his place in the absence of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold given a first opportunity to prove Gareth Southgate wrong. Ibrahima Konate might be back in training but no need to rush him so a fresh Joel Matip, match-winner in the Reds’ last outing, keeps his place alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara are shoo-ins in the engine room, but it’s a little harder to nail down the identity of the final member of the midfield triumvirate. Harvey Elliott has played a lot of football recently so he gets a rest, and while the temptation is there to start a raring to go, apparently now match-fit, Arthur Melo, he also is limited to bench duty. He should come on for a Premier League debut though, and for longer than 13 minutes! Captain Jordan Henderson gets the nod after returning to training and featuring for England after injury during the international break.
In attack, having played the most-recently, travelled the furthest and returned to the AXA Training Centre the latest in the international break, Luis Diaz drops to the bench. Roberto Firmino didn’t feature in either match for Brazil so his legs are fresh, but he’s held back in reserve two, presuming Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota are both fit.
The pair were excused from training on Thursday following their international excursions but will both be confident after scoring for Uruguay and Portugal respectively. As a result, it’s Nunez through the middle, Jota on the left and Mohamed Salah making up the attacking three.
My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Jota.
Liverpool are back and so is Darwin Nunez
Tom Cavilla: At last, Liverpool are back in action. Saturday afternoon’s meeting with Brighton represents an opportunity for Jurgen Klopp’s side to breathe new life into their season after a below-part start to the campaign.
A number of individuals are closing in on a return to the first-team after injury-forced absences, with defender Ibrahima Konate among those. This fixture will come too soon for the Frenchman, however, while Andy Robertson will also miss out. It therefore looks to be a straightforward enough set of selections at the back for Jurgen Klopp, which sees Kostas Tsimikas coming in for Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold looking to prove a point on the opposite flank. Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk can build upon their strong partnership in the heart of defence.
Captain Jordan Henderson could be back in midfield after missing the Reds’ previous three games, lining up alongside the ever-reliable Fabinho and Thiago. Fabio Carvalho and Harvey Elliott will remain effective options on the bench, though are likely to miss out on a place in the starting eleven should Klopp place an emphasis on going back to basics in search of a vital three points.
The main area of the team in which the Liverpool boss faces a dilemma is attack as he weighs up whether to hand only a third start of the season to Darwin Nunez, who will be high on confidence having scored for Uruguay on international duty. Luis Diaz is a doubt after his late return to Merseyside after representing Colombia, presenting a possible opportunity for Diogo Jota or Roberto Firmino.
My team (4-3-3): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson; Salah, Nunez, Jota.
Harvey Elliott gets the nod in midfield
Keifer MacDonald: After nearly a month without a Premier League fixture, Liverpool finally make their long-awaited return to domestic duties this afternoon as host Brighton and their new manager Roberto de Zerbi.
Despite the frustration of wanting to put the club's early season wrongs right, but being forced to wait nearly a month to do so, the Reds find themselves in a much more healthy position off the pitch than the last time they took to the field against Ajax.
Jurgen Klopp has nearly all of his squad, bar the four longer-term absentees, fit and available for the visit of the Seagulls. So, for what feels like the first time in a while, the Liverpool manager has a decision to make.
With Andy Robertson one of those still missing, Kostas Tsimikas keeps his place in the side and lines up alongside Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold - ahead of Alisson Becker.
In midfield, despite marking his return from a hamstring injury with a late cameo for England earlier this week, Jordan Henderson has to settle for a place on the bench. This means Harvey Elliott, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara keep their place in the middle of the park. The former was deservedly named as the Reds' Player of the Month for August and September on Friday afternoon.
In attack, Darwin Nunez is handed his first Premier League start since the middle of August, when he was sent off against Crystal Palace, as he looks to get up and running in a Liverpool shirt. Either side of the Uruguayan is Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz as they look to repeat the feat from March's victory over the Seagulls where they grabbed a goal apiece as the Reds cruised to a 2-0 victory.
My team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Thiago, Elliott; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
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