Andoni Iraola has confirmed his Liverpool starting XI vs Newcastle in the Premier League, with decisions made on Jeremy Jacquet and Ryan Gravenberch at St James' Park
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola at St James' Park.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola at St James' Park.(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak starts at St James' Park for the first time since his $169 million (£125 million) move to Anfield from Newcastle this summer.
Alisson Becker is in goal for Andoni Iraola's side in the North East, with Jeremie Frimpong, Jeremy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez making up the defense in front of him. Ronald Araujo is among the substitutes.
Ryan Gravenberch is joined by Dominik Szoboszlai in the midfield, with Florian Wirtz in front of them. Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha complete the attack alongside Isak, with transfer discussions ongoing to bolster the Reds' forward line.
"I feel excited," Iraola said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I can feel it even in the atmosphere when you train with the players. You feel like this week is a little bit different.
"We've been preparing friendlies, we've been preparing for other opposition, but this smells different. I'm looking forward to being there on Sunday and feel the pressure and start a competition that is what we like.
"I want to be a really good team. I want to use the good players that I have in the best way, so they give us the chance to fight for everything."
Andoni Iraola walks off the Newcastle pitch at St James' Park.
Andoni Iraola walks off the Newcastle pitch at St James' Park.(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Iraola was also questioned on transfers, with Liverpool chasing Bradley Barcola as its top target, and having bid $82 million (£60 million) for Yankuba Minteh this week.
"As a manager, this is an easy one for me," the Spaniard added. "I wanted the players for the first day, July 13, everyone here, all the positions doubled, top-level players.
"But you understand how the competition works, that [the] market is open and you start the competition. We have to adapt as coaches to this situation.
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"I hate these two weeks or these 10 days that we have because there is a lot of uncertainty — but not in Liverpool, everywhere because once the market is open.
"But we have to adapt. Honestly, I don't want to spend too much time thinking on these things. I know that you will ask me a lot of questions about the market and this, but I am focused on the game against Newcastle.
"That is massive for me and using the very good players that we have right now in the building in the best way so we can be competitive from the beginning."
Liverpool starting XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.