Dugout Discussion

Alexander-Arnold starts for Liverpool as £4.0m Leeds defender features

Liverpool come into the first Premier League match of 2020/21 with their strongest key players all involved from the off.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) has not turned out for the Reds since the end of last season, missing out on pre-season friendlies through injury, but he starts against Leeds United.

While he was not fit enough to go on a summer tour with his club, the right-back did get some game-time in while away on international duty with England.

Naturally, he is joined in the back-four by the usual suspects of Andrew Robertson (£7.0m), Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) and Joe Gomez (£5.5m) while Neco Williams (£4.0m) misses out on a place in the match-day squad entirely.

Mohamed Salah (£12.0m), the second-most-captained player of Gameweek 1, starts on the right-hand side of Liverpool’s front-three, as do Sadio Mané (£12.0m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.5m).

In their first Premier League game for 16 years, Leeds line-up in Marcelo Biela’s favoured 4-1-4-1 formation.

The key Fantasy talking point is a start at centre-back for Pascal Struijk (£4.0m), although it remains unclear how long he will last in the team. The budget defender takes the place of club captain Liam Cooper (£4.5m) who is unexpectedly absent from the squad today.

The Scottish international’s late injury means a centre-back pairing of Struijk and new signing Robin Koch (£4.5m) for Leeds, while Stuart Dallas (£4.5m) and Luke Ayling (£4.5m) are set to staff the full-back positions.

Patrick Bamford (£5.5m) has been trusted with a start at Anfield, keeping new signing Rodrigo Moreno (£6.0m) on the bench while key man Pablo Hernández (£6.0m) is also in from the beginning, joined in midfield by Mateusz Klich (£5.5m), Jack Harrison (£5.5m) and Helder Costa (£5.5m).

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Robertson, van Dijk, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold; Keïta, J Henderson, Wijnaldum; Mané, Firmino, Salah.

Leeds United XI: Meslier; Dallas, Struijk, Koch, Ayling; Phillips; Costa, Hernández, Klich, Harrison; Bamford.

Best players by position:

2,446 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Jacktastic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Defences are shambolic

    1. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Yeah shocking level of defending.

      1. Jacktastic
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Good to watch though

  2. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Why is that not a Robbo assist

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      rule chaange

      1. Qaiss
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Oh

      2. Dthinger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Please elaborate

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Not intended target or area.

    3. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Defender deserves the assist.

  3. Firmino
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    No Salah no party 🙂

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

    Salah non-owners might as well retire

    1. SoShy
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      There's always next season

    2. JamTart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      When fit, he's a season keeper. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. We've all been burnt by him before, but some always want the edgy pick

  5. SoShy
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    So whens the NS (No Salah) meeting being held? I need counselling for my overthinking

    1. Muchentuchel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Doesn't make sense. You will soon realise there are cheaper players who'll do the job as well. DeBruyne for example.

      1. Muchentuchel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        whooops wrong place to put my comment

  6. sully29
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Well, if you're someone who decided not to go with Salah, you knew the risk. It was always quite likely he would get points this week but, presumably, you thought you'd fare better without him in the long run as you weren't going to keep him regardless. So.... *shrugs*

    1. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Did the same with Sterling last season GW1, unfortunately. I sure love a slow start!

  7. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    If robbo continues taking this many set pieces he could get closer to TAA this season.

  8. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Grab a goal Trent

    1. JamTart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Plenty time for an assist from him.

      This point in the early kickoff people were considering selling Auba and bemoaning his positioning

  9. Sharkytect
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    I'm sure it made sense to start without salah

    1. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      The same commentators warned about the dangers of overthinking, but yet also went without Salah.

  10. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Guy in my work ML has triple captained Salah. I’d like to say I’ve had better results from DGWs etc last few seasons but I haven’t. I’m salty!

  11. twisterteo
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    All of those that were planning Salah to Bruno/KDB... Still doing it??

    1. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      why not ?

      1. twisterteo
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Just checking

  12. Neves say Neves
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Has robbo been on all set pieces?

    1. Von Lipwig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Yes

  13. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Salah looks tired, save him for Chelsea

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Subbed after his 4th goal

  14. School of Poch
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Had Salah cap for ages and switched to Auba last minute. Still happy to own him though

    1. the dom 1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Had Auba Cap all week, changed to Salah an hour before deadline, patting my own back now lol

      1. School of Poch
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Very good day for you!

  15. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Imagine capping Auba ahead of Salah lol

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Lmao so dumb

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

      What a nightmare

    3. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Auba ain't Salah

    4. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Yeah lol imagine captaining a player who scored 205 points last season against a promoted side instead of a guy who scored 233 points last season against a promoted side. So dumb!

  16. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    I don't own Salah.

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      How does that make you feel?

    2. beric
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      F

    3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Crying?

    4. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Are you OK?

    5. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Season over

    6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Oh no

    7. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Grab a tissue mate

    8. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      How is that possible ?

  17. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Salah does make FPL a bit boring tbf considering all serious players have him captained.

    1. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Enough

    2. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      😆

    3. Every Dog Has Its Day
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      what a load of crap

      i know serious people who don't own salah

      does lateriser take it seriously?

  18. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Leeds supposed to be good in defence and Bamford supposed to miss his chances!!!

  19. FPLtfs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    I knew the risk.. rank killer

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Well so be it. It was he or Son and Haverts

      1. FPLtfs
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        True. They might do well

    2. sully29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Yep. I went in expecting a bad week. It is what it is.

      1. FPLtfs
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        My best rank of 156 started off with a 3m rank in the first few weeks.

  20. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Obviously in decline. 😉 Non Salah owners

  21. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    New term for Lateriser... Downside chasing. Hopefully quite a few copied him

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 7 months ago

        He is late riser not early riser, ignored all his advice

      • FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Come back end of season and compare ranks with Lareriser

        1. sully29
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Exactly.

        2. Nightcrawler
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Ok will do

        3. Botman and Robben
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          +1

        4. ENZO SZN™
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          @nightcrawler how your rank compare now.

      • Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        His team ID?

    2. pablo discobar
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Salah captains can relax for the weekend

    3. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      if Salah can do this to them just imagine what Mitro can do!

      1. Iceball
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        lol I have Mitro though and would be glad if 1 goal

    4. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      At least we got TAA for the attacking threat. 🙂

    5. camarozz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      So much for a great start 🙁

      I'd love to slap Salah several times with a wet smelly dishcloth

    6. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Only thing mane got was an offside

    7. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Who will be the TAA of this season? (No, it won’t be TAA)

    8. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      I was about to change the captaincy from Salah to Auba in the last 5 minutes but then I closed the app instead.

    9. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Two thirds of fpl managers banging heads against walls

    10. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      be quite cool if Mane could at least have a shot at some point 😀