Dugout Discussion

Salah and key defenders start for Liverpool as Mané benched

As expected, Sadio Mané (£11.5m) has been named on the bench for Liverpool’s opening Premier League match of the season.

The Senegalese international missed all of the club’s pre-season friendly campaign and was always a doubt to be involved against Norwich.

Jurgen Klopp did not appear too fazed by not being able to include Mané in the starting XI.

As had been predicted, Divock Origi (£5.5m) starts on the left flank of the forward line in the 4-3-3 system.

“I’m happy with how it is now. It’s not about me it’s about the players. If the player aren’t available or fit they are the things we have to deal with.” – Jurgen Klopp

The Belgian features alongside Roberto Firmino (£9.5m) in a central role while Mohamed Salah (£12.5m), the winner of the Gameweek 1 captain poll, is on the right flank.

There was keen interest in Liverpool’s defence over the summer and all three key individuals find themselves in the starting XI.

Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) are on the left and right flanks of the back-four, with Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) in the middle.

Paired with the Dutchman at centre-back is Joe Gomez (£5.5m), which comes as welcome news to those invested in Alexander-Arnold.

After the Englishman replaced his compatriot around the hour mark in the Community Shield final, with Joel Matip (£5.5m) starting that match at centre-back, there had been some concern over Alexander-Arnold’s role.

However, a home match against newly-promoted opposition was clearly seen as a different prospect to Manchester City at Wembley by Klopp, who clearly favours playing the more attacking full-back in this one.

Norwich line up in the 4-2-3-1 formation that Daniel Farke was so fond of on his way to securing the Championship title last season.

There was only one change to our predicted line-up provided by team news correspondent Neale Rigg.

Todd Cantwell (£4.5m) has been handed a start on the left side of attacking midfield, alongside Marco Stiepermann (£6.0m) and Emi Buendía (£6.0m).

That means Onel Hernandez (£5.5m) taking up a spot on the bench.

As expected, Grant Hanley (£4.0m) starts at centre-back alongside Ben Godfrey (£4.5m) with Timm Klose (£4.5m) and Christoph Zimmermann (£4.5m) injured.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, van Dijk, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Fabinho; Origi, Firmino, Salah.

Substitutes: Adrian, Milner, Keita, Mané, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Matip.

Norwich XI (4-2-3-1): Krul; Lewis, Godfrey, Hanley, Aarons; McLean, Trybull; Cantwell, Stiepermann, Buendía; Pukki.

Substitutes: Fahrmann, Byram, Roberts, Vrancic, Leitner, O Hernandez, Drmic

2,602 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Everyone joint no. 1 in the world at this rate

    1. Milk, 1 Šuker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Haha you know this

  2. mr messi
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    No live points?

    1. Rustic
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Think it was same last year on opening day

    2. funnyoldgame
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Doesn’t seem to be

  3. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Jammy VVD owners being rewarded for having to settle for the cheap pick

    1. Four Hit Wonder
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Nah. I have him because I thought the beast will dominate Norwich soft defenders during set pieces. And I was rewarded for it.

    2. SPorting
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Just call me FPL McScrooge

    3. sully29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      #value

    4. DeathoftheParty
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'll take it!

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

      No, VVD selected for lack of rotation and goal threat.

    6. Make Arrows Green Again
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He was always going to up his attacking output

    7. Lacabacca
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      That’s me.

    8. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      My first two players were TAA and VVD, then I built the restof my team. I did not settle.

    9. Harper (No more Penandes)
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I have him and £0.5 itb

  4. Bartowski
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    And this is why i had to tear up my team to take out Kane and bring in Salah because he can bring in the points in 30 mins that I would be elated by Kane bringing in 90.

    1. AmeliesDad
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I picked both so let's hope for both to score big eh?

      1. Bartowski
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Sure good luck I was scared by Sterling personally

        1. AmeliesDad
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          I got Sterling too

          1. Bartowski
            • 13 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            But not De Bruyne....

            1. AmeliesDad
              • 14 Years
              4 years, 7 months ago

              That's the one...

  5. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    VVD!!!

    1. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Again??

    2. funnyoldgame
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Dialup?

  6. Emiliano Sala
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    it hurts owning both Robbo and TAA

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ha ha

  7. jia you
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Took VVD out last minute...sick!

    1. Ha.
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      But why?

      1. jia you
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        backed out of double defence last min, just went Robbo, ahwell long GW and long season! Sterling(c) needs to rip it up!

    2. F_Ivanovic
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Likewise. And to the why above... I decided to go TAA instead.

    3. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Do you have Salah?

  8. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What score is TAA+VVD+Salah(C) on?

    1. ★Kuntheman★
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      17

      1. El Matador
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Go back to school

        1. ★Kuntheman★
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Lmfao forgot about Salah(c) haha

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      40 points (Pre-bonus) if this stays the same

  9. ★Kuntheman★
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Can we talk about how VVD didn't even jump for that header?

    What a mountain

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      That just means it was bad defending and vvd got lucky

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      More so terrible defending

    3. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Terrrrrrible

  10. The Ejiptian King
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Glad I don't have VVD, hate points anyway.

  11. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So most people on 26 points then?

    1. Teahupo'o
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      0. Towers can't afford proper servers.

    2. Streetad
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I guess so? The FPL site certainly isn't going to tell me.

  12. LosBlancos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Norwich attack looking good
    But the defense 😆

  13. Rhodes your boat
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Vvd in my team till this afternoon classic, cmon Trent repay me 😉

  14. Brazooka
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Salah on all set pieces. What a beast.

  15. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Salah (c) and VVD in my team. Oh this is beautiful

  16. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So pleased I didn't get salah, phew, bullet dodged

    1. thepeen555
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ha ha ha

  17. Kub3
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    This could end up 6 or 7.

    1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      10

    2. Make Arrows Green Again
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Points across the entire Norwich team

  18. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    That bobby chance was something else...

    May actually own him this year.

    1. Four Hit Wonder
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Let me bring to your attention a small, perhaps irrelevant matter - he didn't score. A shot on target is all that happened. People do that all the time.

  19. trikster102
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    lol at the Dream Team!

    1. Tired and weary
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      So good isn’t it hahaha

  20. thepeen555
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Nice vvd goal. Well done those who picked him. I have just Robertson

  21. Jam0sh
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Live bonus?

  22. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pukki take pens for Norwich?

  23. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Salah and Origi swapped sides

  24. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Alisson broken

  25. How I met your Mata
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I think pool will defo concede at some point in this game

  26. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Oh dear

  27. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Adrian time. Unlucky Liverpool double defence owners

  28. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Alisson down getting treatment.

  29. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Alison dead !

  30. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Alisson down injured