Liverpool boss Arne Slot. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)placeholder image
Liverpool boss Arne Slot. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool tam news for the Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot has named his Liverpool starting line-up as their Premier League title defence begins against AFC Bournemouth at Anfield.
The Reds boss hands out four Premier League debuts to summer signings Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.
Ekitike spearheads the attack and is flanked by last season's Golden Boot winner Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo.
Wirtz, the £100 million record arrival, features in his favoured No.10 role. Alexis Mac Allister returns to the starting line-up from the Community Shield loss against Crystal Palace last weekend. The Argentina international replaces Curtis Jones and will sit deeper in midfield in the place of Ryan Gravenberch, who is absent because of suspension. Gravenberch was sent off on the final day of last season so he has to serve a one-match ban.
Frimpong and Kerkez occupy both full-back positions, with captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate featuring in the centre of the rearguard. Alisson Becker remains Liverpool's No.1 goalkeeper despite Giorgi Mamardashvili being brought in from Valencia.
There is some good news on the bench as Joe Gomez is fit enough to be involved, having had an Achilles injury. But there is no Kostas Tsimikas after he missed the Community Shield loss against Crystal Palace on penalties last weekend. Tsimikas has been a target for Nottingham Forest this summer, as well as attracting domestic and European interest.
Conor Bradley remains unavailable for Liverpool because of an injury. Ben Doak is also omitted from the squad as he closes in on a £25 million move to AFC Bournemouth.
Giovanni Leoni has officially completed his move to Anfield from Parma for £26 million and will be watching from the stands.
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