GRÖDIG, AUSTRIA - Friday, July 23, 2021: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and FSV Mainz 05 at the Greisbergers Betten-Arena. (Pic by Jürgen Faichter/Propaganda)

Confirmed Liverpool lineups vs. Mainz: Konate starts in strong Reds XI

Liverpool will field two different XIs in each half in tonight’s pre-season friendly against Mainz, with Ibrahim Konate among those to start the game in Grodig.

After 1-1 draws with Wacker Innsbruck and Stuttgart on Tuesday, the Reds are set for their first 90-minute clash of pre-season against Jurgen Klopp‘s old club.

Twice previously have Liverpool met Mainz in pre-season, with a 9-0 aggregate scoreline favouring the German side, with Klopp in the opposite dugout for a 5-0 thrashing of Rafa Benitez’s outfit in 2006.

This time around, the Reds will be looking for a positive result as they build towards the 2021/22 campaign, with a host of players returning for pre-season.

As Liverpool anticipate an intense warmup game in Austria, Klopp is set to make 11 changes at half-time, with the club confirming his starting lineup.

Caoimhin Kelleher starts in goal, behind a back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Kostas Tsimikas with James Milner shielding in midfield.

Joining tonight’s captain in the middle of the park are Harvey Elliott and Naby Keita, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain taking the three spots in attack.

Curtis Jones, Nat Phillips, Kaide Gordon, Neco Williams and Billy Koumetio are among the players likely to come on after the break.

There is no place in the squad for Marcelo Pitaluga, Rhys Williams, Ben Woodburn or Mateusz Musialowski. Ben Davies is also missing due to personal reasons, with the centre-back leaving Liverpool’s pre-season training camp.

Diogo Jota is on the bench having returned for training on Wednesday.


Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Matip, Tsimikas; Milner, Elliott, Keita; Salah, Mane, Oxlade-Chamberlain

Subs: Adrian, Karius, H.Davies, Phillips, Koumetio, N.Williams, Bradley, Beck, Clarkson, Cain, Morton, Jones, Gordon, Jota, Minamino, Origi

Read all our build-up and previews on the This Is Anfield app for iPhone and Android. There'll also be reaction, analysis and videos after full-time. Click here to get it for free.