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. Modest Bob
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    My advice for all Salah owners would be take a few weeks off without looking at your team then when you come back sell him

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

      International Break just passed...

    2. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Okay Dribbles

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

      Or take Salah off

    4. Squib
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Nah

  2. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mane and Firminho tempting

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

    Salah tap in denied 🙁

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      gaaaah

  4. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Salah has been utter crap this game. TAA looks worth every penny though. He'll come good this season for sure.

  5. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Salah tap in denied

  6. Maddi Son
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    10-12 point miss from Robbo there. Ouchy 🙁

  7. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    3pm KO teams as expected?

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

      When aren’t they 😛

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yes. Why do you keep asking? You've been here for 7 years. It's always been the same...

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

    Robertson on fire.

    1. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He's been amazing.

  9. Random Name
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Posting this completely bland, useless comment just to defy Doosra

    I encourage others to the same 😉

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Hey panini.

      Don't you be a meanie.

    2. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      What's wrong with his odds?

      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        They're evens. 😉

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I thought you only post when Laca scores. Or has the injury changed your stance

      1. Random Name
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        myth

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

    It’s funny watching Salah so obviously force passes.

    He wasn’t greedy for the sake of it, he’s just woeful at passing 😆

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

      he spent too much time on twitter last week reading people slagging him off

    2. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Somehow got 12A last szn too

  11. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Salah seems like he is playing with an idea he needs to be less selfish. There is a bit of fear to shoot. The effect of social media. 😀

  12. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    The effect Firmino has had since coming has been incredible. So bloody underrated.

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      By who?

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

        Him and fabs are massive for Liverpool.

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

          Mane is their best player. I've been saying this even when Salah had his first amazing season

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

            VVD

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

        People who only see the goal tally at the end of the season.

    2. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He really is a fantastic player, and so unselfish

    3. Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Wouldn't say he's underrated. Just doesn't get the spotlight thanks to Salah, Mane and even VvD now.

    4. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Fantastic player, it's just that those around him score every other game.

  13. Alnair
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Newcastle should be losing by 4-5.

  14. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Almiroff

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Red card ?

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Subbed

    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      😆 Where's that Brown Cow?

  15. Joyce1998
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    salah to score next

    1. DantheManinaPan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I desperately hope so as a capper

      1. Joyce1998
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I told you 😉

    2. Mika-eel
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Thank you 🙂

  16. balint84
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Kane should have been my captain. 🙁

    1. CARROW ROAD
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He’s playing for spurs, not England

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

    Curious how you never see Almirón and Andrew Lloyd Webber in the same room.

    1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      😀

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

        Hope that passes your quality check, Doos 😀

  18. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Chamberlain a lot less effective than Henderaon in that role.

  19. Random Name
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mane was a 10 goals a season guy before Salah came on the scene

    Anyone who understands football knows he's taking Salah's goals

    1. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      This makes it into the top 5 dumbest comments of 2019.

      1. DantheManinaPan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        In which case it's had the desired effect

    2. CARROW ROAD
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Mane has always been a better player and finisher than Salah

    3. Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He barely ever played more than 2000 minutes per season though. It was his first 3000+ minute season last time and Liverpool in general has improved immensely in the past 2 years so I don't think it's fair to take the credit out of Mane.

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

      How had he scored premier league and champions league hattricks long before he even arrived at Liverpool though?

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

        Well the CL hattrick was just after joining Liverpool, but 2 premier league hattricks before he got to Liverpool... very strange

  20. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Salah -bps

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

    Trent corner to VVD goal would make my life

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

      Wow, almost a FK just with it

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

      Omg this! Please let it happen once this season

  22. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    In fairness Robbo hasn't actually been that bad for the last 4 GWs, just semi unlucky not to get returns.

  23. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Mane is so poor in open play. His assist potential is zero

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Salah owner?

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

        Certainly not a brain owner.

      2. Lingard’s Shin Guards
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Was it not obvious enough?

    2. Joyce1998
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      thats why salah is oevrall better pick even tho mane is outscoring him today, we all know what salah can do when hes hungry

    3. Random Name
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Spot on

      Mane had 3 assists last year compared to salah 12... Yet Salah is selfish

  24. Modest Bob
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Q. What does Salah do at weekends?

    A. Not alot.

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Don't attempt stand up.

      1. Ze_Austin
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I'm quite s*itty at it

        1. George Sillett
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Not my forte either . ☺

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

        It's the way he tells them

  25. Alan Watts
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Went Salah to Kdb for City attack trio Aguero Sterling Kdb

    Allowed haller for 4.5m forward

    TC Aguero

    Eggs basket City

    Salah out not bad so far

    1. Alan Watts
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Allowed me to bench Pukki..

  26. FPL Forward Thinker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Whats up with Barnes?

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

      He's fit. Starting.

    2. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Nothing. He had a strain but was always expected to be fine by today.

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

    YES!

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

    Salah great goal

  29. CARROW ROAD
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Great salah goal, great move

  30. Respect My Authoritah
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Salah G
    Bobby A