Dugout Discussion

Alexander-Arnold absent as Martínez starts in goal for Arsenal

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) remains absent for Liverpool as their preparations for the 2020/21 campaign continue with the Community Shield final.

The right-back has already missed two pre-season friendlies this summer and, even though Jurgen Klopp said there was a chance he could be involved at Wembley, Neco Williams (£4.0m) has been handed a third-successive start in his place.

It is difficult to be too downbeat regarding Alexander-Arnold’s fitness issues though, considering he is still set to report for England duty on Monday morning.

The rest of Liverpool’s Community Shield line-up is largely as expected with Andrew Robertson (£7.0m), Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) and Joe Gomez (£5.5m) completing the back-four.

And, of course, Mohamed Salah (£12.0m), Sadio Mané (£12.0m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.5m) comprise the front-three, although, based on Klopp’s pre-match press conference, we could see Rhian Brewster (£4.5m) feature from the bench.

Mikel Arteta may have potentially thrown Fantasy managers a bone with his team selection, handing a start to budget goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez (£4.5m).

The Spaniard has not featured in friendlies for the Gunners yet, Bernd Leno (£5.0m) starting the win at MK Dons, but, at the first chance of availability, he is back in the team following an excellent run of form during Project Restart.

If he were to hold onto the mantel of first-choice at Arsenal, that might ward off interest in William Saliba (£4.5m), who has been named among the substitutes today.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£12.0m) is stationed on the left-hand side of the Arsenal front-three, joined there by Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) and Eddie Nketiah (£6.0m).

Interestingly, after spending last season on loan in Turkey, Mohamed Elneny (yet to be priced) starts in central midfield alongside Granit Xhaka (£5.5m).

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, van Dijk, Gomez, N Williams; Wijnaldum, Milner, Fabinho; Mané, Firmino, Salah.

Arsenal XI (3-4-3): Martínez; Tierney, Holding, D Luiz; Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Elneny, Bellerín; Aubameyang, Nketiah, Saka.

1,404 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The 12th Man
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Chris Sutton drooling over AMN.

  2. Flair
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Martinez isn't going to be start, Ornstein (Main Arsenal journalist) has said that Leno will be Arteta's first choice keeper. This performance will just help improve the negotiating position so that they can sell higher and sign Partey.

    1. Fudgy
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Agree with this

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      His place to lose surely

    3. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      He just told you this?

  3. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Great sub by klopp

  4. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Horrendous from Brewster.

  5. Ginkapo FPL
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Not getting Brewster then

  6. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Brewster fail

  7. Herman Toothrot
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Loan him out Klopp

  8. Lucky Z
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Brewster aka Zaza

  9. Andy_Social
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Rhian to Sheff U then. Good

  10. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Brewster out

  11. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Brewster’s millions!

    1. Herman Toothrot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      My 5th

  12. FF Dirtbag
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Saka in peeps teams then?

    1. UnluckyXI
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Yes right now, will wait and see where willian plays and how much gametime Pepe gets in the rest of pre season.

  13. Amey
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    LVG laughs at Klopp 😆

    1. Nanoelektronicar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      I don't get it? What's the joke?

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        That was over the top by me sorry..

        LVG sent Kruel as supersub in WC and he won them the Shootout.

        Klopp sent Brewster and he missed pen ....

        1. Nanoelektronicar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          That's good one. I thought it had something to do with United youngsters when LVG was in charge (not giving them chance in important games). Even imagined his weird laugh.

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 23 days ago

            LOL
            I still remember the stare he given to giggsy after Chicharito missed a pen by slipping while taking it

  14. aapoman
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Hope that nod from Klopp means "yeah you are going out on loan"

  15. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    Brewster straight into my team

  16. Salahbrate
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 23 days ago

    A) Mount & Ings
    B) Ward-Prowse & Werner

    And why?

    1. Herman Toothrot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      B

      Because you asked

    2. UnluckyXI
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      A has more potential in my opinion but mount has more competition

  17. Party time
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Overrated 4.5 fpl asset

    • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Auba wins it

    • Right In The Stanchion
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Arsenal reserves have done great against the full strength PL champs.

      WATCH OUT PREMIER LEAGUE

    • Arteta
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      AUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    • Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      AMN & Curtis Jones’ pens both pure class

      1. WVA
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        I think Jones slightly scuffed his

    • SAY MY NAME
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      2nd trophy for Arteta 🙂

      1. Flair
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        Brilliant manager, shame Kroenke's thriftiness lowers his ceiling until he leaves

        1. SAY MY NAME
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          so true, Arsenal is just a cash pool play thing for Kroenke, might have been good if Usmanov's takeover bid a year or two ago had worked

          1. Flair
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 23 days ago

            He wasn't a saint but I heard he was an Arsenal fan - could have been very different if it went through, yes.

            1. SAY MY NAME
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 23 days ago

              yeah none of the CIS oligarchs are saints, but i don't know too much about him, but quite often with these kind of billionaires it's as much about having a successful team as the business, whereas with Stan i think it's purely a business thing where winning/losing is almost irrelevant if it doesn't impact the business model

      2. ThisPostsOnFire
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        'trophy'

        1. SAY MY NAME
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          i said it mainly tongue in cheek, but still better to win than not win, and still a win over Liverpool, preseason or not won't do the team any harm

          1. ThisPostsOnFire
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 23 days ago

            Ahh I know, just trolling for the laughs. Big fan of Arteta, think he's a much better man to have in place for Arsenal than Solskjaer is for us.

            1. SAY MY NAME
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 23 days ago

              🙂 no worries fella - i think Ole is doing pretty well for your lot, couldn't see why you got him in initially, but seems to have utd playing well, although that might be largely due to Fernandes, interesting season ahead for both of us!

      3. Rainer
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        Not sure he’ll get the CL in 3 years like Willian mentioned but definitely going in the right direction!

        1. SAY MY NAME
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          i'll be happy if we show signs of competing properly with the top 3/4 teams, got some distance to go, but as you say, seems to be going in the right direction atm

    • Fudgy
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Arsenal obliterate Liverpool. The statistical over performers about to hit a huge decline.

    • Robson-Canoe
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Arteta same amount of trophies as Pep, Klopp, Ole and Lampard combined in the last 12 months. GOAT.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        Respect

    • BeaversWithAttitude
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Brewster gutted. Chin up, kiddo!

    • Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Both keepers got nowhere near the pens that were scored.
      Brewster looks like he is going to cry.

      1. Nanoelektronicar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        I feel so bad for the young lad. Hope it doesn't ruin his confidence.

        1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 15 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          Yeah you don't like to see that to a young player. Was brave enough to take it though.

        2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
          • 15 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          I do then i think of his wages and then think i couldnt give a toss 😉

    • Z
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      After this match....so many dilemas
      1. TAA
      2. Martinez
      3. Who will be CB at Arsenal and are they gonna to play 352

    • goriuanx
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Rhian Brewster missing a pen and pissing Klopp off so he gets loaned to help our FPL teams.

      Respect.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        FPL managers are most ruthless animals on this planet 😆

    • dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Aubameyang not exactly upbeat about signing new contract.......

      1. Rainer
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        A World Class player shouldn’t be playing in Kazakhstan on a Thursday night.

        He doesn’t have long left at the very top, needs to be smart.

        1. ThisPostsOnFire
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          THIS

          If he stays at this point, its purely for the sake of the fans and financial reasons.
          If it's a football/success based decision, he leaves every time

        2. Third Eye Vision
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 23 days ago

          Is this the new Stoke on a wet Monday night?

    • GREEN IS GOOD
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 23 days ago

      Apart from the goal, Liverpool kept a clean sheet.

      1. WVA
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 23 days ago

        Their defence did not look good, Willock won every header when he came on