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. The Mighty Hippo
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Keita will be immense for Liverpool this season.

    1. My Name Is Pepu
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Has been influential so far..

    2. Homo Neanderthalensis
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      This

    3. redbeard
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Cheers

      1. Homo Neanderthalensis
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Score a brace please

  2. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Should have played Mane in..

  3. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah blank, VVD goal. tx

    1. My Name Is Pepu
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Ta

  4. Differential C (Mark)
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Keita looking very influental. Can see why he's so highly rated.

    1. Differential C (Mark)
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      At 7.5 too, Bilva's price.

    2. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      TAA not looking bad either!

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

    Pundits were comparing Keita to Kante 😆

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      And Souness...

  6. diesel001
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    TAA getting a lot of crossing chances.

    1. My Name Is Pepu
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Long way to go before we can even name those two in the same sentence.

      Kante's a machine.

      1. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        😆

  7. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    TAA's crosses have been piss poor today

    1. Rainer
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      One cross is all it takes...

      1. My Name Is Pepu
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        *Robertson's cross is all it takes

        1. Fred54
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Possibilities.

          1. Fred54
            • 9 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Tune Fred.

          2. Mic
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Lol

          3. Rainer
            • 8 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            🙂

    2. Ha.
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      At least it didn’t go out for a throw

  8. The92nd
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Any thoughts yet on which sites are gonna be good for tracking price rises this year?

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Fantasy Fix is my go to.

      1. G-Whizz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        I wouldn't...

      1. fusen
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        essentially the trio mentioned here, I'd order them FPLStats, FFFix, FISO

  9. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Jamie redknapp ridiculous analysis after 8 minutes saying he thinks Keita has been here 8 years

    Biased analysis or what?

    1. diesel001
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Agree. I was laughing at that.

  10. Dr Dream
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Jeez...Liverpool are good. I doubt they'll win the title from City but they beat them for playing exciting football all day every day.

  11. Royal5
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Arnold can't make a pass

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Hey Football Head, learn to pass.

      1. GAMBIT
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Haven't heard that in a while. Thanks for this reference, bringing back my childhood

        1. Fred54
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          They don't make them like that any more, its either stuff like Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol and then some weird live action show with 12 year olds dressed as teenagers and having mid life crises. Where's the animated shows gone in between?

  12. Ibralicious
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    TAA clearly not ready. Klopp should've just let my 12 AWB points come off the bench -.-

  13. The Enlightener
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    TAA needs to take some mustard off those crosses

  14. cheekumz
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    If the first player on my bench doesn't play, does autosub skip over him and put no 2 or does he come in regardless?

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Skips

    2. Mic
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      No 2

    3. diesel001
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      skips

    4. cheekumz
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      thanks guys

      1. My Name Is Pepu
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Wc 🙂

    5. Davros
      • 15 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Depends. If you were playing 3 at the back but one of your def didn’t play. And no. 2 sub is a mid and no.3 is a def, then the defender would come on.

  15. Bubz
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah offside again :/

  16. Piggs Boson
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Munday almost had some Lennon pts then. Looks a great punt.

  17. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Virgil has a huge bum

    1. My Name Is Pepu
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Smashhh

  18. Rainer
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah -10+ BPS

  19. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Mo Mo offside again

  20. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Arnie & Liv def owners, what would prefer:

    A. Arnie goal
    B. Liv CS

    1. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Presumably Virgil Trent and Robbo have higher combined ownership than Arnie? Plus would bode well for the "fixture proof" argument

    2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 15 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Arnie goal easily

    3. cheekumz
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Obviously Arnie Goal... unless you have more than one def. Arnie is more of a differential than all Liv defenders combined. Im talking from a purely fpl perspective, maybe different if you support LIV or hate WHU 😉

    4. Viper
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Arnie has roughly 25% ownership. Liverpool defence is probably about 80% ownership.

      Haven't checked actual ownerships but you get the drift, Arnie far more beneficial

  21. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah losing bps all over the place

  22. diesel001
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    How does Jesus get ahead of Firmino for Brazil? Firmino so much more complete than Jesus.

    1. WVA
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I was wondering this all summer

    2. Kellz86
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Agreed, but Jesus plays more of an out n out striker where as Firmino is really more of a false 9. Maybe Brazil prefers Jesus direct play.

    3. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I think Liverpool's set up brings out all the best elements of Bob's game.

      I'd have him over Jesus all day, but then I've never even been contacted about the Brazil job

  23. Kellz86
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Bah damn, Holebas on my bench 1st Sub, hope TAA keeps it clean at least

  24. Ha.
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah is no Fraser

  25. Homo Neanderthalensis
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Keita for 3bps this game? Lol

    1. Rainer
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      LOL?

  26. OPTA FPL
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    1 season wonder

    1. Mic
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      How come he has done it for 3 seasons then 🙂

  27. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah could have done better there..

  28. Harry Ball Bag™⚽⚽…
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah doesn’t seem to be his normal self

  29. Viper
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Everything coming down Trents side, Robertson not involved in the West Ham half at all yet

    1. #FPLBhuna
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Whilst that may be true, it counts for nothing.

      Robbo needs one chance 😉

  30. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Maaanee almost