Dugout Discussion

Firmino falls foul of rotation as Salah and Mané start for Liverpool

Rotation inspired by the Champions League has finally arrived in the Premier League as Liverpool host Newcastle this afternoon.

Roberto Firmino (£9.5m) has fallen foul of it at Anfield, dropping to the bench with Divock Origi (£5.4m) leading the Reds’ line. Perhaps that is no surprise as the Brazilian was in action for his country in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Ahead of a packed fixture list with seven games in 21 days, Jurgen Klopp has also opted to give Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£6.3m) his first league start of 2019/20 at the expense of captain Jordan Henderson (£5.5m).

Liverpool’s defensive quartet remains unchanged in the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m), Virgil Van Dijk (£6.5m), Joel Matip (£5.5m) and Andy Robertson (£6.9m) with Adrian (£4.6m) continuing to marshall the backline in the absence of Alisson (£5.8m). 

Klopp’s decision to rest both Henderson and Firmino is telling of the packed fixture list that sits on the horizon, yet this may also point to a propensity for rotation within Liverpool’s squad over the winter months, but for now the highly owned attacking assets of Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Saido Mane (£11.5m) retain their starting berths. 

Steve Bruce has opted to make just one change to the Newcastle side who drew with Watford last time out, with Jonjo Shelvey (£5.0m) earning a start in place of Sean Longstaff (£5.0m). 

The attacking option in the form of Shelvey as opposed to the more defensively-orientated Longstaff could be telling of Bruce’s plans to play swift, counter-attacking football against the Reds, but the likes of Fabien Schar (£5.0m), Jamal Lascelles (£4.5m) Paul Dummett (£4.5m) and Emil Krafth (£4.5m) will have to be on top of their game at Anfield to take anything from the side who currently sit 1st in the Premier League going into Gameweek 5. 

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Mane, Salah, Origi.

Newcastle XI (5-3-2): Dubravka, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett, Krafth, Hayden, Shelvey, Willems, Atsu, Joelinton, Almiron.

1,598 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JonBoy
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Come on you Reds!

    1. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      great top comment

  2. Hitmonlee
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Boom

  3. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Salah stay quiet please!

  4. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mwahaha, great he's benched.

    1. Benster
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Idiot

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Lovely chap.

  5. HonestBlatter
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Still no updated

  6. Crisnel Ronessi
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    The amount of load FFS servers take 30 mins before the deadline has to be immense!!!

    1. JonBoy
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Pages were flying!

    2. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      déjà vu

    3. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Was about to comment "cheap servers" then realised you was talking about FFS not FPL, oops!

      1. Epic Fail
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        FFS is known to go down from time to time to be fair. With probably far less than the millions of traffic FPL has.

    4. Naboo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      By design. The site wants constant refreshes for ad revenue

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

    *Thank god PL football is back. Love being able to spend my weekends in isolation in my bedroom watching several matches, shut out from the wider world and so I can gain lots of fantasy points !!!

    1. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

    2. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I've recently started streaming on twitch and I keep talking about fantasy football to my viewers and I only have one who's only semi-into it, damn casual! I know this feeling all too well lol

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

      If you recognise what you're doing and how it looks to some other people, then it's acceptable 😉

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

    And we're back

  9. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    it almost feels like this is the late game and Sterling has already scored a couple 😀 come on Mo!

  10. Supersonic Marv'
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Why is there always such desperation for the game to update? Relax, it will update when it updates.

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Haha

  11. Dannyb
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Updated

  12. Yome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mane and Salah double up, go!

  13. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Feels good man.

  14. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    UPDATED.

  15. Crisnel Ronessi
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Updated

  16. Supersonic Marv'
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Oh thank god it's updated. I think I would have died if I had to wait any longer.

    1. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Chandler is that you?

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Blimey.

  17. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    So many Sterling cappers in my ML geez, and I'm here with Aguero. Bricking it.

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      You shouldn't be.

  18. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    HOW WORRIED ARE YOU AGUERO NON OWNERS?

    1. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Brick house.

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Not worried. Can't own them all.

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I'm terrified.

    3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I AM MILDLY WORRIED, BUT HE IS AWAY SO IT MIGHT BE OK

      CAN WE STOP SHOUTING YET?

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah sorry.

        1. Zenith UK
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Don't ever apologise for being you, we love you for being you...

          1. Rupert The Horse
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            Heheh. xx

      2. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        He'll make himself hoarse.

    4. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Tc Aguero

    5. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I'm so scared I want Sterling Aguero and KDB... lol

    6. Old Bull
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Can’t find words to express my worry

    7. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I'm wearing a nappy

    8. JonBoy
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Very!

    9. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I think he’ll haul today, but having KDB and Sterling (c) means it’s highly unlikely that I’m going to struggle for points from that game myself.

      So, not really worried.

      Sorry to disappoint you Kun owners that I’m not going to be calling the Samaritans this evening because I don’t own him.

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Wish I had him, can easily see a hat trick.

  19. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who forgot to wildcard then.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Me.

      That’s probably because I didn’t make any transfers over the International Break though.

  20. Zenith UK
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Would anyone else here love to see an FPL league full of the likes of Pep, Klopp, OGS, Zidane etc. Definitely the real reason why Firmino was dropped, let's be honest, nothing to do with FPL. Klopp's mini-league rival captained Bobby this weekend

    1. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      nothing to do with CL*

  21. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Walker Otamendi Fernandinho Zinchenko
    Bernardo Rodri D. Silva
    Mahrez Jesus Sterling

    Please Lord

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Kun will start and you know it.

    2. Demí
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I know Norwich have all sorts of issues, but playing with 10 men. Pep is not that disrespectful

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        No keeper.

        Pukki will have a field day.

  22. Paul
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Livefpl site not working??

  23. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Salah Mane relationship to be interesting today

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Fwiends!

        Football Fwiends! 🙂

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Mane kicking up a fuss then getting to play centrally 😮

      Salah might be even sliding him in...

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        We just need Mane to win a pen, then them to start fighting over who gets to take it lol

        1. Rainer
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Trent to run up and just slot it in?

        2. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          I wish they'd just snog and get it over with.

      2. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Better bring lube.

        1. Rainer
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Especially if you're coming!

          1. Crisnel Ronessi
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            Hahhaahaha

          2. Rupert The Horse
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            Hahaha. This is brilliant.

    2. Mr Peanutbutter
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      mane origi relationship*

  24. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    The City lineup will be most intersting.

    Happy that I capped Salah 🙂

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Even with no Firmino?

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Salah likely to play the full 90 minutes whereas City assets probably won't.

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Agreed.

    3. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Hahaha you were capping Aguero I thought

  25. Saka Rice
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    would hate to be a Newcastle fan playing 5 at the back so boring to watch

  26. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Benched Firmino 😎

    1. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      if you arent trolling, thats seriosuly Swave!

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

        Not a troll post 😎

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      unlucky, was always likely after IB, unfortunately

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Oh re-read what you wrote!

    3. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Nicely done

    4. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Benching 9.5mill player? Either way your team wont be as good with that much money on the bench.

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

        Weird response

        1. Maddamotha
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          No its weird being happy with having 9.5m on the bench.

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

            You're right. I should have sold him.

  27. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    What happened to Sean longstaff? Wasn’t he meant to be better than rice but now can’t even make newcastle squad to his younger brother?

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Somewhere else was short staffed so he had to cover.

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        It burnt my finger to upvote because you’re on fire right now!

        1. Crisnel Ronessi
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Do you mean we are BBQ'ing rupert the horse?

        2. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Haha.

      2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I’ll get your coat for you 🙂

    2. avfc82
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He’s injured.

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        That makes most sense

  28. Hitmonlee
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Looks like Mane is playing as a striker.

    Good or bad?

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Depends what score he gets.

      1. Hitmonlee
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks for that!

  29. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I feel like I'm in the minority with both TAA and VVD. Just hoping for hauls from those two.

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Eeww, minority, go Brexit.

    2. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      VVD goal and score to end 1-1 is what I want 🙂

    3. AIRMILES
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I have them both too, along with Salah (C). If a midfielder or striker was their price with their potency, they'd be in everyone's teams, imo.

    4. Demí
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I am hoping for hauls from my players too, so we are both in the same boat

      1. Epic Fail
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Although I'm hoping my Salah blanks.

      2. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        😀

  30. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Origi injures in the warm up? Hopeful Firmino owner...