Jurgen Klopp is fond of a derby curveball but has resisted on this occasion, with Liverpool making the short trip to Everton with their strongest possible XI in tow.
It’s a fixture the eye is drawn to each and every season and the first of 2021/22 is upon us, but the two teams head into the Merseyside derby in contrasting form.
While Klopp’s Reds are just two points off the top and with one defeat in the entirety of the campaign, Everton are six points from the relegation zone and last won on September 25.
It leaves Rafa Benitez under pressure and the hope will be that Liverpool can add to that this evening and Alisson will be out to do just that in goal.
And a back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson will patrol ahead of the Brazilian.
In midfield, Fabinho will be positioned next to Jordan Henderson and Thiago, with the latter making his fourth start in a row.
Finally, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota have been named to lead the line.
And Klopp will have all but the same bench to pick from as he did against Southampton, with Ibrahima Konate the one to take Matip’s spot.
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Salah, Mane, Jota
Substitutes: Kelleher, Konate, Tsimikas, Williams, Morton, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Origi
Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Godfrey, Keane, Digne; Allan, Doucoure; Townsend, Gray, Richarlison; Rondon
Substitutes: Begovic, Kenny, Delph, Iwobi, Tosun, Gordon, Gbamin, Branthwaite, Dobbin
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