The new season is almost upon us and Arne Slot has one more match, the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, to prepare his team for the Premier League campaign.
While the head coach’s squad isn’t fully complete – minor injuries and potential incomings mean we could see a different side come the transfer window’s end – Liverpool are looking strong.
Summer signings Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz could all come straight into the starting XI, while the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah show no signs of deterioration.
While we expect Slot to start a team very close to the one that will play in their Premier League opener against Bournemouth, six substitutes are allowed in the Community Shield, so expect to see plenty of second-half rotation.
Here’s how Liverpool could line up.
Team news
Here’s what Slot revealed in his press conference:
- “Starting is possible” for Alexis Mac Allister “but definitely not for 90 minutes”
- Joe Gomez “has a minor injury at the moment, but he will be back with the team very soon” – though not for the Wembley fixture
Liverpool’s XI vs. Crystal Palace
Slot has just three injury issues to contend with for the Community Shield, with Mac Allister able to start but not play a full match, while Gomez misses out.
Conor Bradley is also expected to be absent at Wembley, having not trained on Friday and missed the friendlies against Athletic Club.
That leaves Jeremie Frimpong to play at right-back in a defence also including Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and most likely Milos Kerkez.
Behind them, Alisson should start in goal, having returned to training this week after missing Monday’s matches due to personal reasons.
Liverpool’s forward line picks itself at the moment, with Florian Wirtz, Mo Salah, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike all likely to start, but there is a conundrum in midfield.
Ryan Gravenberch is suspended for the league opener against Bournemouth; therefore, Slot may decide to use this match as a trial run and exclude his compatriot from the side.
Here are Slot’s likely decisions:
- Gravenberch starts despite missing next game
- He plays alongside Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield, with Mac Allister still gaining match sharpness
- Kerkez is preferred to Andy Robertson at left-back
This is how Liverpool would line up:
Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
Of course, with this being the first semi-competitive match of the campaign, it is tough to predict exactly who Slot will play.
He could decide to start Curtis Jones with a view to playing him against Bournemouth. Equally, he could deem Mac Allister fit enough to play and leave Jones on the bench.
At left-back, though Kerkez has looked strong in pre-season, the coach may start the more experienced Robertson, while Giorgi Mamardashvili also has a chance of playing as it is a friendly.
- Mamardashvili starts as he likely won’t see action again until the League Cup third round in mid-September
- Jones plays with Szoboszlai in a trial run for the Bournemouth fixture
- Robertson is trusted at left-back in place of new signing Kerkez
Here’s how this alternate team would look:
Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
Though there should be some element of competitiveness to Sunday’s proceedings, it is worth noting that Slot’s lineup will still be with a view to preparation rather than victory.
While that will likely come in the form of a strong starting XI, he will certainly make use of his bench, potentially giving Rio Ngumoha minutes given Liverpool’s lack of senior attacking options.
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