Dugout Discussion

Kabak makes Liverpool debut and Vardy returns to Leicester City starting line-up

Ozan Kabak (£5.0m) is the latest man to partner auxiliary centre-half Jordan Henderson (£5.4m) for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

With Fabinho (£5.4m) ruled for the Reds with a muscle injury, the German’s hand was forced into another backline shuffle.

Ben Davies (£5.0m), also brought in as centre-back cover, is not part of the Liverpool matchday 18 due to a knock. Nat Phillips (£4.0m) is on the bench after deputising in Gameweek 22. On Kabak, Klopp said ahead of the early DGW24 kick-off:

It was a good training week for him, an important training week for him. Unfortunately, Ben Davies picked up a little knock as well so…it’s unbelievable.

Ozan looked good in training. The boys got used to each other. Of course today is a proper test against Leicester; against Vardy, against Maddison, against Barnes. It will be tricky but we think we are prepared.

On Leicester, Klopp added:

They can change systems, they are really strong and are extremely good at the counter attack.

Along with Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara (£5.6m) is the other player to drop out of Klopp’s XI from the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City in Gameweek 23. James Milner (£5.3m) is the man drafted into the midfield three.

Otherwise things are as we might expect for the champions. Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) Sadio Mane (£11.9m) Roberto Firmino (£9.3m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) Andy Robertson (£7.3m) and Alisson (£5.9m) all start. Ahead of kick off, Alexander-Arnold told BT Sport:

It’s huge for us, coming here is always difficult. We’ve had a week to work on things, it’s chop and change at the back at the moment but we have to get used to that.

We are prepared for a few systems that Leicester may use and we think we can hurt them.

In embargoed quotes on Friday night, Klopp had said of Kabak and Davies:

Yeah, [Kabak is a] calm person. So, both Ben [Davies] and Ozan are calm people, willing to learn, great attitude. They really throw themselves in everything that is ahead of them – what a defender should do. Making big steps, adapting to the way we play, that’s important.

We have still a clear way to defend, which is important, because if both of them would be on the pitch, then there are still nine players who are used to what we did before – so if the two players would do something differently that would lead to a strange situation.

It’s all good so far. Now we have to make decisions. We have to change again because of Fab and now we will see which solution we will take.

Leicester could be using a back four or a wing-back system at the King Power stadium, with Brendan Rodgers coy in his pre-match interview. When BT Sport suggest the Foxes were in playing in a different shape, Rodgers responded:

Well you’ll see…not really. I think we have the flexibility to play in that [different formation]. That’s been the pleasing element of the team’s development in specific games. We can adapt and change.

Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) returns to the Leicester league XI for the first time since Double Gameweek 19. The forward did log 29 minutes as a sub in GW23 and started the midweek FA Cup win against Brighton.

James Maddison (£7.4m) and Harvey Barnes (£6.9m) could flank Vardy in a 3-4-3 set up, while Wilfred Ndidi (£4.8m) also makes his injury return to start in midfield.

Ricardo Pereira (£5.9m) looks set to operate at either left-back or left wing-back, with £3.9m defender Daniel Amartey playing on the right-hand side of Rodgers’ defence.

Unfortunately, the aformentioned James Justin will be out for a lengthy period after an ACL injury in that FA Cup this tie. Rodgers stated on Saturday:

He [Justin] has an operation next week and hopefully he’ll be back within a number of months. Big blow for us.

Leicester XI (4-1-4-1 or 3-4-3): Schmeichel; R Pereira, Soyuncu, Evans, Amartey; Ndidi; Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Albrighton; Vardy.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, Henderson, Kabak, Alexander-Arnold; Jones, Wijnaldum, Milner; Mane, Firmino, Salah.

1,411 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Come on Salah, I’m getting hungry, need to FEAST

    1. dogtanion
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He's looking so dangerous.

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Good to hear!

  2. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Vardy is no Danny Ings

    1. Party time
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Of course. 1 is a PL champion & the other isn’t

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah looking dangerous this game

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        And happy

    3. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah is such a diver

    4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      salah down again in the box, should be a pen

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Naaaah

      2. Zladan
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        What? Lol there was no contact at all. Should be a yellow card.

      3. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Lol

      4. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Need new specs.....Dive

      5. Third Eye Vision
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Should have been a yellow card for simulation. Shame VAR hasn’t stopped this sort of behaviour.

    5. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I feel very lucky Salah hasn't been booked for diving so far

    6. Sandy Ravage
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah playing like he has 2 right feet

    7. SH1M1
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah diving again zzz

    8. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah fallen over looking for another penalty.

      This dive was a yellow card worthy.

    9. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah clearly looking for it and in my opinion it’s not a pen but I know for a fact if it was Utd it’d be given.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Bruno would have stamped on the defender and would have been a penalty

      2. BobbyDoesNotLook
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I think there was clear contact this time.

        1. JONALDINHO
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          There was contact but not enough to make him fall. I just hope that VAR are consistent with those sort of decisions and don’t go and give that sort of pen to another team

      3. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        You’re right. United clout was earned

      4. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        You know this for a fact. Right. You obviously didn’t see the numerous decisions that have went against United recently?

    10. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Stonewaller denied

    11. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      NEEDS to be yellow carded

    12. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C'mon Salah. A haul here after so many sold would be a great start to the week

    13. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah is such a cheat. Get up! (but score a legitimate goal please...)

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        What?

    14. Fudgy
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Why no yellow for the cheater

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        You own him Fudgy you don't want him to be booked

    15. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah carrying on from the Man City game with his dieing swan looking for decisions.

    16. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I owned Amartey for awhile this season. Nice 3.9 def option with Justin out if he gets another start.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He won't imo. Castagne will be back. Fofana is a full back too

        1. Paqueta Rice
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Amartey can play CB and CDM also which he has already done this season so wait and see

          1. FPL Daniel
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            I don't want to wait and see if I spend a transfer on him it needs to be 90% certain

    17. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah needs to stamp on the defender with 2 feets (Bruno style) in order to get that penalty

    18. Drogo
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Took out Salah for Gundogan hhis GW, watch him explode again.

    19. dogtanion
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      That was more a penalty than the Martial one v Southampton

    20. Von Lipwig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Been such a long time since I didn't have Salah. It's not nice

    21. Forza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah to Slight Breeze was the right move this week.

    22. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Liverpool looking way better without Tiago

      1. Monklane
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        here he comes.....

      2. Zladan
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I think you jinxed it lol he is coming on now.

    23. Captain_Shirokov
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      coufal coming off the bench for antonio for me, not too bad

    24. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      You’d think Salah would be ashamed having seen the images circulating of his dive v City.

      He’s only gone and dived twice in the first 12 minutes looking for penalties.

      The man is a disgrace.

      1. ivantys
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah going all out to win the golden boot.

      2. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Some call it smart

      3. JONALDINHO
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Just say that you hate Liverpool. A disgrace? Bit harsh. The first call he never looked for the pen. The one at City was a stone wall pen.

      4. Supersonic Marv'
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He's far from the only player who dives.

    25. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      thiago coming on

      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Leicester clean sheet confirmed

        1. Mr. O'Connell
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Justin 3 bonus

    26. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Injury and a sub for Liverpool

      1. dogtanion
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Lol it's Milner

    27. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah almost. Every dead ball comes to him somehow

    28. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah on pens

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He always was

      2. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        🙂

    29. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bad news for Liverpool. Tiago in who slows them down