Dugout Discussion

Salah misses out as Alisson and de Gea recover from injury to start

The only Premier League match to take place this Sunday is a big one, with league leaders Liverpool hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to the season against old foes Manchester United.

Kick-off at Old Trafford is at 16:30 BST.

The headline team news sees Mohamed Salah (£12.4m) miss out through injury, with Jurgen Klopp telling Sky Sports ahead of the match:

Mo was not ready, that’s how it is. He couldn’t train with the team; I don’t know where it came from that everybody said he will play. There was pretty much no chance for today, maybe for Wednesday [in the Champions League], we have to see.

With Salah missing out, Sadio Mane (£11.8m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.6m) are joined in a front three by Divock Origi (£5.3m).

Alisson (£5.8m) and Joel Matip (£5.5m) have been passed fit to play, however, and rejoin the visitors’ backline in place of Adrian (£4.6m) and Dejan Lovren (£5.3m).

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m), Andrew Robertson (£6.9m) and Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) maintain their ever-present records in the top flight this season.

Despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having said he was unlikely to play, David de Gea (£5.5m) has recovered from the groin injury that he sustained on international duty and takes his place between the posts for the Red Devils.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.4m) has also recovered from tonsillitis, joining what may well be a back five for the hosts given that Ashley Young (£5.4m), Marcos Rojo (£4.8m), Harry Maguire (£5.4m) and Victor Lindelof (£5.4m) all start.

Luke Shaw (£5.4m) has failed to recover, however, while Paul Pogba (£8.4m) misses out as expected.

Anthony Martial (£7.5m) is fit enough to be among the substitutes and joins Mason Greenwood (£4.4m) on the bench.

With Martial not in the starting XI, Marcus Rashford (£8.4m) looks set to lead the line again.

The corresponding fixture to this game ended 0-0 in 2018/19.

This re-match indeed sees a meeting between the two sides with the best expected goals conceded (xGC) tallies in the top flight, although that tightness in defence hasn’t translated into too many clean sheets: United and Liverpool have just two each so far this season.

At the other end of the pitch, the Red Devils have the third-worst xG from open play among Premier League clubs.

Mane was the most-bought player of Gameweek 9, with Salah the most-sold.

Wan-Bissaka and de Gea were also shipped out by almost 400,000 Fantasy managers combined.

Salah was the fifth-most-captained player of Gameweek 9, although it’s probably fair to assume that a decent chunk of the 634,160 FPL bosses who handed him the armband may have given up the ghost already.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelöf, Rojo, Young, McTominay, Fred, Pereira, James, Rashford.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Mané, Firmino, Origi.

1,461 Comments Post a Comment
  1. RealVirg
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Oh you rotten scotch egg I love eating you!

  2. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    UTD flip flapping now

  3. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    I’m watching the game. Firmino touched that.

  4. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    come on pool grab the winner

  5. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Mane or Trent, do something good

  6. George Sillett
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    The genius who is OGS goes into defensive mode and what happens ?

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      I don’t get why teams do this - it just asks for trouble

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

    Pool looking like getting a winner here

  8. sminkypinky
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Martial looks lively

  9. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    A fit Lallana like a new signing...

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Looks off the pace to me except the goal. Ox looks more lively

  10. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Salah owners with Rico 1st sub the real winners.

    1. Party time
        4 years, 5 months ago

        🙂

      • Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        (Not me. Got Mané on WC, vary of the Salah flag...)

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Mane’s been none existent for the majority of this game

      1. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        He has done absolutely nothing second half - no doubt he will score the winner

    3. Pedram
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Shameful football from Man UTD, defending with 11 men to protect a draw

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

        Every point matters for em

    4. Bartowski
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Man U desperately trying to hold on to a point v Liverpool at home ain't a great look for all those sponsorship deals

      1. Party time
          4 years, 5 months ago

          😆

      2. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Ole playing the United way

      3. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Cmon Utd

        1. Poseidon.
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          I was just going to say this

        2. GREEN IS GOOD
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          said no one ever

      4. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Who is Brandon Williams

        1. Eat my goal!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Indeed

          1. TheDragon
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            Not quite the same strength in depth as City

            1. Eat my goal!
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 5 months ago

              The next superstar if he scores

        2. Poseidon.
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Utd player - he’s just come on

        3. Rainer
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Son of the Williams’

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

            Can't be sure.

        4. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Defender. Priced at £4.0m in FPL.

        5. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          The third Wayans brother

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

        Ole bringing on a teen in the last few mins. That's risky.

        1. Bartowski
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          He plays the kids (for 2 mins)

      6. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Man U bringing an 11 year old on

        1. Piggs Boson
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Quality left-back.

      7. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Mane lays it on a plate for Ox, but sitter missed

        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          4 minutes ago.

        2. Don Van Vliet
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Wouldn't describe that chance as a 'sitter'.

      8. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Brandon Williams is quality. Future first team player.

        1. TheDragon
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Unfortunately we aren’t in the future and he is in the first team now

        2. Bartowski
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          That isn't a high bar at the moment...

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

        Worst ever Gw following my previous worst ever Gw.

        Two worst ever GwS.

        After my best ever start.

      10. Sailboats
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Please below the whistle ref

      11. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        A dire gw for almost all, dont panic fellas ...

      12. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        That wasn't handball.

      13. Smurf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Deductions likely for Rashford to give Robbo the 3 bonus?

        1. Crystal Alice
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          I’d like that

        2. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Nah imo

      14. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        1-1 FT

        Mane didn't punish the Salah owners.

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

          Rico punished the Mané owners.

          1. Party time
              4 years, 5 months ago

              but I have Rico & Mané 🙁

        2. how now brown cow
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          How has james looked today?

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

            Quick.

          2. Rainer
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            Streetwise

          3. hsakrujd
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            The best in Mutd

          4. Piggs Boson
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            Impressive. Worked hard at both ends, and was dangerous on the counter. Good cross for Rashford's goal.

            This is the kind of game he thrives in. A bus usually stops him.

            1. how now brown cow
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 5 months ago

              Cheers. Sounds like not a priority to shift given fixtures then.

          5. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            A cheat who got what was coming to him?

        3. Tsparkes10
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Ggs. Down to Lunny and Hendo tomorrow to take me over 40

        4. Dannyb
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Well done United, another fine performance to cap off the weekend.

        5. Botman and Robben
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Was Mane playing in the 2nd half?

          1. dark91
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            He was an unused sub today