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Liverpool host Crystal Palace for their first Premier League game of the season at Anfield on Monday night.
Alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool were one of only two clubs in Europe’s top five leagues to go unbeaten at home across the entire domestic campaign last season, winning 15 of their 19 fixtures on familiar soil.
Here’s the XI Jurgen Klopp may deploy to extend that unbeaten streak.
GK: Alisson – The Brazilian number one has beaten Palace more often than any other club in his senior career (eight victories out of eight meetings).
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – After claiming the Community Shield last month, Alexander-Arnold has won every club trophy available to Liverpool – aged just 23 and while living at home.
CB: Joel Matip – Liverpool’s roaming centre-back has won more Premier League Player of the Month awards (one) than his highly-vaunted defensive partner Virgil van Dijk (zero).
CB: Virgil van Dijk – Aleksandr Mitrovic became the first player in almost four years to lure Van Dijk into the concession of a Premier League penalty last weekend.
LB: Andrew Robertson – Scotland’s skipper has created seven goals in his last eight appearances against Palace (though is yet to score against the Eagles himself).
CM: Harvey Elliott – With his future tethered to Liverpool for the coming years, Elliott’s silk-lined touch may be called upon in the present.
CM: Fabinho – Liverpool’s “Lighthouse” looked like he need a change of bulb during an uncharacteristically poor showing against Fulham.
CM: Jordan Henderson – As captain, Henderson had the responsibility of publicly insisting his “lethargic” team “must improve quickly”.
RW: Mohamed Salah – Palace may no longer have to face their eternal foe Sadio Mane – who scored in a record-breaking nine consecutive appearances against the Eagles – but Salah has had a hand in 11 goals in his last ten outings in this fixture (seven goals, four assists).
ST: Darwin Nunez – As long as he doesn’t try the same back-heel flick with every attempt at goal, Nunez may well live up to the lofty billing James Milner has given him.
LW: Luis Diaz – While the winter arrival’s adaptation to the Premier League has undoubtedly been swift, Teemu Pukki has scored more top-flight goals (five) than Diaz (four) since the Colombian’s debut in the competition.
