Rare start for Adrian as Alisson sits out Liverpool’s Double Gameweek 26 opener

Two out-of-sorts sides meet in the last of five Premier League matches to take place on Sunday.

Kick-off at Bramall Lane is at 19:15 GMT.

Liverpool are in particularly woeful nick, sitting in the bottom three for form when Premier League sides are filtered by their last six, eight and ten matches.

The Reds have kept only one clean sheet this calendar year.

The good news for Jurgen Klopp’s side is that they are taking on a team that are rock-bottom of the division and who have lost 20 of their 25 league games this season.

Even the Blades have won more matches than the reigning champions in 2021, however.

Klopp has made two enforced changes to the side beaten in the Merseyside derby at Anfield last time out.

Alisson (£5.9m), absent following the tragic death of his father this week, is replaced by Adrian (£4.2m) between the posts, with Nathaniel Phillips (£4.0m) covering for the injured Jordan Henderson (£5.4m) at centre-half.

Academy goalkeepers Jakub Ojrzynski and Liam Hughes are among the substitutes, along with the fit-again James Milner (£5.3m).

Diogo Jota (£6.6m) had been on the cusp of a comeback but doesn’t make the matchday squad due to illness.

There are two changes for Sheffield United following their defeat by Fulham, with Oliver Norwood (£4.5m) coming in for the injured Chris Basham (£4.6m) in midfield and David McGoldrick (£5.2m) replacing Billy Sharp (£5.5m) up top.

Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale, Ampadu, Jagielka, Bryan, Baldock, Norwood, Lundstram, Fleck, Stevens, McBurnie, McGoldrick.

Liverpool XI: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Jones, Thiago, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 26 SO FAR…

A first blank in five matches for Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) arrived at an inopportune for Fantasy managers who had backed him with the Gameweek 26 captaincy.

The Portugal international was well shackled throughout, with his expected goal involvement (xGI) total a paltry 0.09 against Chelsea on Sunday.

Manchester United were fairly anaemic overall, mustering just two shots in the box in the stalemate at Stamford Bridge.

An easier test awaits in midweek, at least, with Crystal Palace unlikely to prove such stubborn opposition as a Chelsea side who have now kept five clean sheets in seven Premier League matches under Thomas Tuchel.

Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.7m) has quietly gone about his business under his new manager, averaging 6.3 points per match and starting every game since the change in the hot seat.

It was the two goalkeepers, plus Andreas Christensen (£4.7m), who took home the bonus points in west London, which gives the impression the game had more action than it actually did.

David de Gea (£5.3m) did make one excellent stop to keep out Hakim Ziyech (£7.9m) but clear-cut chances were scarce.

Timo Werner (£9.2m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.7m) were the latest victims of Tuchel’s tinkering, dropping to the bench for this dour draw.

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