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. Stormbringer22
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Get in Salah, my boy

    1. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Firmino's skill though!

  2. estheblessed
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    That was

    1. estheblessed
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Fire

  3. Londongeezaa
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah my vice captain, wonder if Sterling doesn’t play both games 🙂

    1. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      😉 Yea, if he makes 1 pt cameo 🙂

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

    That goal was an affront to God.

  5. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mané's reaction 😆

  6. MoSalad
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Get in Salah hopefully get me out the - at the end of the first game, ha.

  7. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah haters have a fookin seattttt

  8. OLEgend
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Now score the equaliser Maddison

  9. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saaaaaaaaaaallaaaaaah

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

    Sellers in tears

  11. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Tielemans had all the time in the world and made the worst pass of the game.

  12. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah, nice one lad

  13. Bounce
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    SALAAHHHHHHH!!! THE EGYPTIAN KING RETURNS

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

    Absolutely Nowhere to hide for Salah Haters haha

    1. Mighty Wings
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      One goal, chill

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

    Mo Salah, mo Salah, running down the wing, Salah la la la ,the Egyptian king

  16. Sif
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Last 4 pages of Salah not worth it talk

  17. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    so much finesse in that goal. beautiful.

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Calm down fifa

  18. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mo learned that off Thiago

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

      Nobody in this team needs to learn anything from Thiago.
      Thiago needs to learn he's not in Bundesliga anymore.

  19. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Keep punishing the sellers Salah

  20. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah now has 4 in 4...

  21. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saaaaaaaaaaallaaaaaah

    1. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Tc??

      1. Eh, just one more thing ...
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        3rd on bench

        1. Eh, just one more thing ...
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Also removes my Mini league rivals Schmichael clean sheet and bonus points ... and he’s a non salad owner ... so this pleases me.

  22. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone sell Salah?

    1. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah.

    2. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Next week.

    3. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Many...salavie!

  23. Party time
      3 years, 1 month ago

      They sold Salah & got what they deserved

    • pablo discobar
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah doubters in bits right now. Mugs

    • FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Firmino tekkers to King Mo 😀

    • Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No wipe out the Pool clean sheet.

    • Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Still really missing Hendo’s energy and composure in midfield but this is finally better from Liverpool

    • Werkself
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Wizard goal, Magician assist

    • DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Any non Salah owners?

      1. pablo discobar
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Lots on the last 4 pages. Probably inbreds

      2. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Main ML rival FH hit team no Mo. And he's a Liverpool fan. Poetry.

      3. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yes

    • La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      So who sold Salah for Sterlo?

      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Sold for Son(c) last week and benched Son this week.