Salah benched as Matip returns for Liverpool’s Palace visit

Jurgen Klopp has benched Mohamed Salah (£12.4m) for Liverpool’s Gameweek 14 trip to Crystal Palace.

The news comes after mutterings about the Egyptian’s starting berth emerged on social media on Friday night – and it finally appears there was truth to them.

Takumi Minamino (£6.0m) is the man chosen to replace Salah in the line-up, joining Roberto Firmino (£9.2m) and Sadio Mané (£11.9m) in the front-three.

A return to full fitness for Joel Matip (£5.4m) sees him reclaim his centre-back role alongside Fabinho (£5.4m) at the heart of defence, so Rhys Williams (£4.0m) drops out to sit among Salah and the other substitutes.

Andrew Robertson (£7.2m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m) start at left and right-back together for the third successive Premier League match since the latter’s injury comeback.

Crystal Palace make three changes from the side that drew 1-1 at West Ham midweek. Following their rest, Gary Cahill (£4.5m) and Nathaniel Clyne (£4.5m) return to the defence in the place of Scott Dann (£4.4m) and Joel Ward (£4.3m).

Roy Hodgson’s other alteration is enforced, Jordan Ayew (£5.7m) coming in for the suspended Christian Benteke (£5.5m).

Crystal Palace XI (4-4-2): Guaita; Van Aanholt, Cahill, Kouyate, Clyne; Eze, McArthur, Milivojevic, Schlupp; Zaha, Ayew.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, Fabinho, Matip, Alexander-Arnold; Keita, Wijnaldum, Henderson; Mane, Firmino, Minamino.