Dugout Discussion

Salah and Firmino both start in the Community Shield

Liverpool take on Manchester City in the Community Shield this afternoon and the match could be as big a signpost as any as to how the two sides will line up in Gameweek 1.

Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.5m) both make their first starts of pre-season for the Reds and are joined by Divock Origi (£5.5m) in the front three.

Sadio Mane (£11.5m) is yet to return following his involvement with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Alisson (£6.0m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m), Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) and Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) all unsurprisingly feature in the Liverpool backline but Joe Gomez (£5.5m) has been given the nod over Joel Matip (£5.5m) to partner van Dijk at centre-half.

James Milner (£5.5m) is ruled out as a precaution due to a tight muscle.

There are no huge shocks in the Manchester City starting XI, with Aymeric Laporte (£6.5m) missing out through injury as expected.

Sergio Aguero (£12.0m), Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) and Ederson (£6.0m) are only among the substitutes after their late return from the Copa America.

Raheem Sterling (£12.0m) again leads the line for the Citizens and will be flanked by Leroy Sane (£9.5m) and Bernardo Silva (£8.0m).

Kevin De Bruyne (£9.5m) is part of City’s central midfield three, while Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) starts again at left-back.

Kick-off at Wembley is at 15:00 BST.

 

1,570 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Rt505
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Currently on VVD and Robbo. Thoughts on downgrading one of them to Gomez?

    It would allow Diop to become either a 5.5 (AWB/Coleman) or 6.0 (Digne/Walker)

    1. Robson-Canoe
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      No Gomez not nailed

    2. Four Hit Wonder
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Is Gomez nailed?

      1. Rt505
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Matip scoring hasn’t helped

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Gundogan has been terrible since coming on

    1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Doos!*

  3. RS333
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Rashford & KDB or Sterling & King?

    1. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      B

    2. gaurava1216
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      B all day

  4. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    What is Aguero's situation in City? Coming back for gw 1,2,3?

  5. Optic1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Quick poll.

    A) Digne + Dendoncker (442)

    B) Montoya + Barkley (352)

    Essentially, Digne v Barkley.

    Cheers

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

      A

    2. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      A

    3. Rt505
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      B

    4. gaurava1216
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      A

    5. Optic1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Cheers all. Been on A for weeks but started questioning the formation.

  6. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Gundogan been rubbish since coming on. Doosra's team in tatters

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Poor in possession and gives up as soon as he loses it

    2. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      😆

  7. Gui0883
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Hi guys,
    would you please help RMT?

    Lloris / Button
    TAA / Digne / Dunk / Taylor / Lundstram
    Sterling / Kdb / Martial / Perez / Barkley
    Kane / King / Greenwood
    +1m itb

    wondering if i should uprgrade King to Wilson and downgrade Lloris to a 5m GK, or if i should simply invest that 1m somewhere else?

    1. Vamos Los Celeste
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Where s Salah ?

      1. Gui0883
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        feel Sterling is going to outscore him, and just love Kane

        1. Vamos Los Celeste
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Long term Salah > Sterling > Kane
          Start of the season Salah > Kane > Sterling

          1. Gui0883
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            thanks for the input mate

  8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    OMG matip

  9. Distinctly Average
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Virgil really is class

  10. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    NOooooooooooooooooo!

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

    VVD essential

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

      Won't get anywhere near as many assists as Robbo or TAA though.

      1. Annie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Don’t care

      2. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        and yet he will

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

          No

  12. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Matip goal.
    VVD assist.

  13. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Good goal, 2 similar set pieces. Gonna be huge this season

  14. Robson-Canoe
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Matip&VVD double up essential

  15. Werner Bremen
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    VVD assist
    VVD>TAA

  16. Debauchy
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    And ....

  17. R.C
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    TAA to Matip

  18. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Virg my man!

  19. The Chosen One...
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    and just like that people do TAA > VVD

  20. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Firmino fail

  21. R.C
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Matip TC v Norwich?

  22. Dr Van Nostrand
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    VVD classiest defender on the planet

  23. noahzark22
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    MATIP ESENTIAL

  24. Railwayman
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Maybe Robbo and VVD are the better combo...

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Have been since the game launched, both nailed & TAA is injury prone

    2. Alan Watts
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Think TAA only at risk versus top 6 sides...Gomez more secure defensively...otherwise TAA likely to start

  25. Four Hit Wonder
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    VVD will get more than 8 attacking returns this season. Remember he almost scored too.

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      What amazing powers you have .

  26. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    TAA > Gomez

  27. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    VVD Robertson for GW1?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      VVD was always locked in. I might switch to Robertson after today.

      Still think TAA plays most matches, but Gomez getting 90 & Matip coming on, playing well, scoring.. doesn't help.

    2. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I have those two.

      If Gomez is fit, Gomez will get games. It's TAA or Matip's minutes he'll take.

      Makes all 3 a no-go for me

  28. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Van dijk the new Trent?

    1. Dr Van Nostrand
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Completely different players Milhouse

  29. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    VVD is the main target for every set piece.

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He shumiuts "VIRGILS" and they part for him.

  30. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Have not seen Rodri play before -- really impressive so far. Great for City attackers, too, since they can play further forward with him at the helm.