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. Monya Meow Meow
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bloody Greenwood first sub for no-show Montoya

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

      Always a risk

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

    Brighton starting 4 CBs at home to Burnley 😀

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

      Good as I want a Ryan clean sheet

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

    Barnes starting as expected 🙂

  4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Come on Trent, get at least one assist my son

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

      So much this. Or a goal, even!

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

      If it is to Mane, yes

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

    next week

    A) sell Sala to Sterling and give him the armbend
    C) save Salah and KDB (C)

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

    Bobby dancing efficiently

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

    Any chance of Salah nicking a bonus point then?

    1. Citizenkane91
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      No. Been absolutely torrid. Lost position thirty percent of the time.

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

        He's on for one atm.

    2. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Absolutely, especially if he gets another goal or assist as I fully expect

      1. Citizenkane91
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Insane. Should have been Mane Firminho Robbo.

        1. Citizenkane91
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          Gladly taking the 4 extra points, though.

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

    Anfield is a fortress

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

      Shame the fortress doesn’t house a clean sheet factory.

  9. sully29
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I'm guessing Salah's EO in the top 10k is about 100%?

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

      Close enough. 98.

      1. sully29
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks!

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

    After the exact same formation week-in, week-out (not always a bad thing, mind), its nice to see some flexibility from Lampard.

    Could just be to match Wolves, though.

    1. DR0GBA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      yep, at least Alonso isn't playing LB like he did under Sarri which wasn't his best position

  11. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Can't possibly sell Robbo or Trent based on what we've seen today

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

      Both great picks

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

      Great reading if you’re into your xGAs...

    3. HNI
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Taa season keeper end of. 7mn mid in title chasing team is great deal

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

      Which one. Thinking of changing Robbo to TAA

    5. sully29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      VVD is a different story though.

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

      It’s a Gael cliche, but they are wingers scoring points as defenders for pretty attractive prices

  12. Citizenkane91
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Who's this fraud Salah look-alike playing for LIV right now?

  13. HNI
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Montoyo Benched? looks not even in subs

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Must be injured

    2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Weird, was starting him myself.
      Soyuncu first sub feels okay though
      Looking at Uniteds lineup. It's not good at all.

  14. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Great, Montoya injured grrr

  15. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    KANE STARTS!!

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Shocker

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

      Did you Kaptain him?

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        No VC, Salah capo

  16. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Brighton starting with 4CB >1m90 to bock Barnes & Wood

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

    Would love some jammy Cantwell points off the bench for Montoya

  18. Pacer.
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Very promising from all Liverpool defenders here today. Disappointing for owners they conceded but clearly all three mainstays have serious attacking threat still

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

      I was ready to celebrate Robbo scoring when he got in on goal earlier

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

    Just relieved to get something from my captain finally.

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

    Schar injured?

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

      think so

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

      Yep

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

    Milner on. Now we will see a VAR penalty award.

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

    Gary Cahill surely edging up watchlists everywhere

    Keeping Tomkins on bench today

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

      Ward's place to lose isn't it?

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

    ALONSO - Left Wing Back today ??

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

      Giggity!

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

    Alonso haul incoming for a throwback.

    2 assists for Mount and then a goal for himself? 😉

  25. Smurf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Dendoncker at CB in Willy’s place?

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

      No. Vallejo.

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

        Thanks

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

    Salah's EO in the Top 10k is basically 100%. So if you own, but didn't captain then it isn't a blow yet. Only if your captain fails do you feel the effect.

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

    Montoya injured or dropped?

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

      433 so irellevant to their formation today I guess.

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

        Kay, thanks. My worst buy of the season lol

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

          I blame FFS. Only player I picked purely based on GW1 Scout Picks 😀

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

    Kudos to Klopp for the way he keeps mo & mane on for 90’s even with Napoli in 72 hours

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

      No for long. One is coming off

  29. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Lineups?

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

      been posted

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Helpful

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

    Liv attacking triple up anyone?

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

      Prefer Man City triple up at the prices and given fixtures.

      Aguero, Sterling, KDB > Firmino, Salah, Mane.

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

      Not with those fixtures.