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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle

Jurgen Klopp faces Roberto Firmino decision as Liverpool ponder midfield change

Liverpool's condensed pre-season is nearing a conclusion with the start of their Premier League season now just eight days away.

The Reds have played four warm-up friendlies, the most recent of which saw them lose 1-0 at Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday. Having spent a week in Austria at an intense training camp, Liverpool now head to Leicester City's King Power Stadium for the Community Shield against champions Manchester City on Saturday.

And here we look ahead to the changes Jurgen Klopp could make when his team are next in action.

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Keeper jeepers

Arguably the greatest injury concern for Liverpool during pre-season has been the availability of their goalkeepers. Caoimhin Kelleher has been out since earlier in the summer while Alisson Becker suffered an abdominal problem in Singapore a fortnight ago.

Adrian took a heavy knock at Salzburg but will continue between the sticks, despite Alisson having stepped up training on Thursday.

Isaac Mabaya and James Milner have featured at full-back in recent weeks but, with Kostas Tsimikas suffering a knock this week and new signing Calvin Ramsay not yet ready, it appears Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson will begin at right-back and left-back respectively with Klopp having hinted many of the starters will play the full 90 minutes.

The centre-back position isn't quite so clear-cut, though. Virgil van Dijk is favourite to start, but both Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip have lined up alongside the Dutchman in recent warm-up outings. Joe Gomez appears more likely to begin the friendly against Strasbourg at Anfield on Sunday, while Nat Phillips has seen minutes limited of late.

Keita question

Naby Keita has had a decent pre-season and, unlike the other midfield starters against Salzburg, he was given only 45 minutes and could be pressing for a place in the XI against City.

Otherwise, it seems Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson, who all played the final half-hour in Austria, are primed to begin the match.

Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Fabio Carvalho and Milner are other options, although it would be a surprise if youngsters Stefan Bajcetic and Tyler Morton start either against City or the Strasbourg friendly. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains out with a hamstring complaint.

Nunez or not?

For most supporters, the greatest interest surrounds who leads the attack. Darwin Nunez has been given a succession of cameos this summer as he develops an understanding with his new team-mates, and scored four goals against RB Leipzig last week.

Nevertheless, the impressive impact of the fully-fit Roberto Firmino means Klopp has a major call to make with the Brazilian notably among those who only featured in the stronger XI that saw out Wednesday's game.

With Diogo Jota and Oxlade-Chamberlain injured and young Kaide Gordon still building up fitness, Elliott and Carvalho represent alternatives for Klopp. However, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are expected to line up on the right and left flanks respectively, with Liverpool having largely kept faith in their regular 4-3-3 formation during pre-season.

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