Dugout Discussion

Starts for Salah, Firmino and Mane in Liverpool’s season opener

As expected, there are starts for Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mohamed Salah (£13.0m), Sadio Mane (£9.5m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.5) as the Reds welcome West Ham United to Anfield this afternoon.

Fabinho (£6.0m), who missed a penalty in the Tuesday night friendly win over Torino, is only fit enough for a place on the substitute’s bench after struggling with illness this week. James Milner (£5.5m) however has recovered from a head injury to take his place in the three-man midfield alongside Georgino Wijnaldum (£5.5m) and Naby Keita (£7.5m).

Joe Gomez (£5.0m) has won his own fitness battle to line up in the Liverpool defence, which is otherwise at full strength. Alisson (£5.5m) makes his league debut for the Reds between the sticks.

Having missed West Ham United’s final pre-season fixtures with a hip injury, Andriy Yarmolenko (£7.0m) only features as a substitute for the Hammers today. Michail Antonio (£7.0m) takes his place on the right flank.

Declan Rice (£4.5m) looks set to feature out of position in the West Ham midfield, while there are competitive Irons debuts for Lukasz Fabianski (£4.5m), Ryan Fredericks (£5.0m), Fabian Balbuena (£4.5m), Jack Wilshere (£5.0m) and Felipe Anderson (£7.0m).

In the other 13:30 BST kick-off, Cedric Soares (£4.5m) has been passed fit to play at wing-back after missing all of Southampton’s pre-season.

Jack Stephens (£4.5m) gets the nod over Jan Bednarek (£4.0m) in central defence, while Manolo Gabbiadini  (£6.0m) is only among the substitutes – along with Danny Ings (£5.5m).

Charlie Austin (£6.0m) is supported by Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong (both £5.5m) in attack.

Matthew Lowton and Stephen Ward (both £5.0m) return at full-back for Burnley after being rested for the Thursday night Europa League fixture in Istanbul, while Chris Wood (£6.5m) is the sole striker in the attack.

Joe Hart (£4.5m) makes his Burnley league debut, with Tom Heaton (£5.0m) watching on from the bench.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita; Firmino, Salah, Mane

West Ham XI (4-3-3): Fabianski; Fredericks, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Masuaku; Noble, Rice, Wilshere; Arnautovic, Antonio, Anderson

Southampton XI (3-4-2-1): McCarthy; Hoedt, Vestergaard, Stephens; Soares, Romeu, Lemina, Bertrand; Armstrong, Redmond; Austin

Burnley XI (4-4-1-1): Hart; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward; Gudmundsson, Westwood, Cork, Lennon; Hendrick; Wood

2,783 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Imagine if Mane is on pens for real 😮 !!

  2. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    The next scoutcast topic is Mane essential?
    The one after that is Salah worth 13m?

    1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      I am using the word essential ironically by the way because the term by it's nature makes no sense.

      1. Udo
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        hint, thats why I call them keyfigures 😉

        1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 8 months ago

          Keyfigures is a good term.
          There should be a petition used to replace 'essential' with 'keyfigures'.

    2. Udo
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      For me Mane is one of the keyfigures beside Salah, which is just doing what he does,... he delivers!

      1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        I agree he is underrated and more importantly kindly priced.

  3. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Gudmundsson looks like the first transfer out for me.

    1. _nod
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Doesn’t sound like a bad week if that’s your major concern.

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        That and taking out Richarlison and Neves about 10 mins before deadline.

  4. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    72' Wood SUBBED

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      and Austin.

    2. Sif
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Just come back from a lay out in hospital with an infection. Was a little off it today.

      1. In Like Flynn.
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Fully recovered I hope?

    3. Bilbao Baggins
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      This is why I didn't fancy and Burnley striker. And they don't score many too

  5. LewanGOALski
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Alexis over Mane was not so smart

    Alexis ➡ Mane for FT?
    Pool double attack looks like a must

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      yes before his price rise

    2. Podge
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Yeh probably

    3. super zlatan
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Yeah I would.

    4. thunder_mike
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      I went for Eriksen over Mane, will probably make the switch

  6. sully29
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Not watching the game. How did Firmino look?

    1. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Ok

    2. Les Bleus
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Not as good as Mane and Salah

    3. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      As always, it could be any of the front three of Liverpool who scores on any given day

      1. Bilbao Baggins
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Yup this. Firm should have scored

    4. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Decent, but looks like the worst pick of the top 3. As expected.

      1. Helia
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        As expected? :/

    5. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Brazilian

    6. Ben Mee Over A Table
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Very composed on the ball. Likely to get a lot of assists this season imo

  7. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Teams?

    1. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      2 min

  8. willl
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Kun Bilva Mendy

    Check check check

    1. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Same...was fully expecting a Bilva benching!

    2. rjcv177
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      This. Going for the throat on this GW 😉

  9. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    No sane

  10. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    No lacazette, Ramsey starts

  11. Zladan
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Ederson, Walker, Stones, Sterling, Gundogan, Aguero, Laporte, Silva, Mendy, Fernandinho, Mahrez.

    1. Gazpilicueta
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      which Silva?

      1. Zladan
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        B

    2. Podge
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Nice

  12. willl
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    laca benched rip

  13. Gazpilicueta
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    2 goals is great for Mane owners, but he is actually amazing just a great player of the game.

  14. rivercityransom
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    pep's wheel of fortune incoming

  15. ToyBlader
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    City XI | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho (C), Gündogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Agüero

    Subs | Bravo, Kompany, De Bruyne, Sané, Otamendi, Jesus, Foden

  16. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Lacazette on the bench

  17. Yankee Toffee
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    MAN CITY TEAM NEWS

    MAN CITY TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Arsenal: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Sterling, Gundogan, Aguero, Laporte, Silva, Mendy, Fernandinho, Mahrez.

    Subs: Bravo, Kompany, De Bruyne, Sane, Otamendi, Jesus, Foden.

    ARSENAL TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Man City: Cech, Bellerin, Sokratis, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Ozil, Aubameyang, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Guendouzi, Xhaka.

    Subs: Leno, Elneny, Lacazette, Torreira, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Iwobi.

    1. Reedy
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Is that Dilva or Bilva?

      1. Reedy
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Ah Bilva

      2. Yankee Toffee
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Bilva

  18. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    No KDB - benched
    Aguero starts

    1. thepeen555
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Expected for KdB

  19. Nabs Kebabs
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    no laca

  20. jia you
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    They wont play WHU everyweek!

  21. FPL Maldini
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    SANE BRNCHED!

  22. Drip Doctor
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Wow, Sterling straight in for Sane. Doesn't look good for the German.

  23. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Team News: ARS vs MCI
    Referee: Michael Oliver

    ARS: Cech, Mustafi, Bellerín, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Özil, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Aubameyang
    Subs: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Torreira, Iwobi, Elneny, Lacazette

    MCI: Ederson, Laporte, Walker, Mendy, Stones, Fernandinho, Gündogan, Bernardo Silva, Agüero, Mahrez, Sterling
    Subs: Bravo, Kompany, Otamendi, Foden, De Bruyne, Jesus, Sané

  24. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Agueroooo

  25. G-Whizz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Lineup - Man City starting line-up: Ederson, Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Fernandinho, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gündogan, Sergio Agüero, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling.
    Substitutes: Vincent Kompany, Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus, Nicolás Otamendi, Leroy Sané, Kevin De Bruyne, Claudio Bravo

    Lineup - Arsenal starting line-up: Petr Cech, Héctor Bellerín, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Granit Xhaka, Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Matteo Guendouzi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Özil.
    Substitutes: Alexandre Lacazette, Rob Holding, Mohamed Elneny, Bernd Leno, Lucas Torreira, Alex Iwobi, Stephan Lichtsteiner

    1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Cheers Wiz

      1. G-Whizz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Anytime 🙂

  26. Les Bleus
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    City XI | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho (C), Gündogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Agüero

    Subs | Bravo, Kompany, De Bruyne, Sané, Otamendi, Jesus, Foden

  27. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Silva Aguero Mendy lets go!!

    1. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Same

    2. Samwise the Brave
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Same

  28. Poppa Klopp
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    No Leno or Lacazette

  29. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Course Sterling starts

  30. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    sane !!!!