Liverpool predicted line-ups and teams for the Premier League clash at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime
Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz with Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola
Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz with Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola(Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
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And we're off. The real stuff got underway last weekend with Liverpool beginning the new Premier League season by securing a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United.
Now new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola will have his first competitive home game when Nottingham Forest visit Anfield for the divisive Saturday lunchtime kick-off.
Forest, of course, have won on their last two visits with their 3-0 triumph last season one of the low points of a dismal second campaign under the sacked Arne Slot.
But how should the Reds line up for their second Premier League fixture of the campaign? Our ECHO writers take a look...
Paul Gorst
With Liverpool still on a schedule that sees them play just once a week, there doesn't seem to be any obvious need to make changes here today.
At centre-back, I expect Jeremy Jacquet to withstand Ronald Araujo's claims and continue his partnership with Virgil van Dijk. Jeremie Frimpong will continue on the right side while Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez recover from injury.
In midfield, I expect the same two-man pivot of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai but let's hope there's more understanding between the pair whenever one ventures forward today. That will be crucial to offering the backline additional protection against a Forest side looking to profit on the counter-attack.
Wide right, I'm sticking with Rio Ngumoha. It's early days for someone celebrating their 18th birthday today in a new position but he has the talent to make it work in time - which he has plenty of.
Cody Gakpo starts on the left. It might even be the Netherlands star's final game depending on whatever shakes out from an intriguing end to the transfer window. Florian Wirtz is given the number 10 position.
Alexander Isak leads the line. In other words, Liverpool are unchanged. Surely Forest can't triumph at Anfield for a third successive season?
My team (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.
Ian Doyle
Anyone expecting anything other than a long, hard slog at Anfield this afternoon is probably going to be very disappointed. One for the pursists it won't be.
Liverpool are going to have to dig in as they aim to win a competitive match for the first time since April. What, then, is Reds boss Andoni Iraola to do?
There doesn't seem much reason for change, particularly in defence where Jeremy Jacquet did well on his full debut at Newcastle as partner to captain Virgil van Dijk. Alisson Becker is the goalkeeper, with Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong continuing at left and right-back respectively despite their poor showings last weekend.
Midfield also remains the same, with Ryan Gravenberch alongside Dominik Szoboszlai at the base and Florian Wirtz as the more advanced.
But attack can see a little rotation, with Victor Munoz coming in on the right. Alexander Isak is down the middle with Cody Gakpo continuing on the left.
My team (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Munoz, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.
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Mark Jones
Football management is surely a lot more complex than this, but Andoni Iraola could just show his Liverpool XI a video of Newcastle's two goals last weekend and simply say: 'Go out there and make sure that doesn't happen again.'
Hitting Liverpool like that was the only way it looked like the Magpies were going to score last weekend, and if his midfielders can keep more of a lid on things this time around then a Forest side who have had joy on the counter at Anfield in recent memory could be kept at bay.
Alisson will start in goal then, behind a back four of Jeremie Frimpong, Jeremy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez.
Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai will be tasked with perhaps being a little more cautious in the middle, with Alexis Mac Allister again left out. Then in attack there's Rio Ngumoha, on his 18th birthday, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo behind Alexander Isak.
My team (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.