Liverpool are set to open their Premier League campaign against Southampton at Anfield today and Brendan Rodgers has made sure the visitors will see some familiar faces in their starting eleven with Dejan Lovren set to partner Martin Skrtel in the heart of the defence and Rickie Lambert named to the bench.
The Reds have signed three players from the South Coast outfit this summer, but former captain Adam Lallana will miss out after injuring his knee during their pre-season tour of North America. Simon Mignolet has taken up his spot between the sticks while Atletico Madrid loan signing Javier Manquillo has been handed a berth on the right while incumbent Glen Johnson has been shifted over to the left.
A midfield trio of Steven Gerrard, Lucas and Jordan Henderson has been named by Rodgers and they’ll be charged with both keeping the Saint’s at bay and feeding the front three of Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho.
From the bench, Rodgers has Brad Jones, Kolo Touré, Rickie Lambert, Mamadou Sakho, Emre Can, Joe Allen and Jordan Ibe.
Ronald Koeman has named a raft of new faces to his side, but he doesn’t really have a choice after a mass exodus from the South Coast forced him to keep busy in the market. Former Celtic ‘keeper Fraser Forster has been handed a berth in net and he’ll be joined by Chelsea loanee Ryan Bertrand, Jose Fonte, Nathaniel Clyne and Maya Yoshida at the back. Want away midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has been brought back into the team and he’ll be joined by new boy Dusan Tadic, Victor Wanyama, James Ward-Prowse and Steven Davis while Graziano Pellè has been left to plough a lone furrow up top.
Koeman has ‘keeper Kelvin Davis, Shane Long, Saphir Taïder, Jack Cork, Jos Hooiveld, Lloyd Isgrove
and Jack Stephens from the bench.
Be sure to pop by after the match for a full reaction and other assorted post-match articles.
