Dugout Discussion

Starts for Salah, Firmino and Mane in Liverpool’s season opener

As expected, there are starts for Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mohamed Salah (£13.0m), Sadio Mane (£9.5m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.5) as the Reds welcome West Ham United to Anfield this afternoon.

Fabinho (£6.0m), who missed a penalty in the Tuesday night friendly win over Torino, is only fit enough for a place on the substitute’s bench after struggling with illness this week. James Milner (£5.5m) however has recovered from a head injury to take his place in the three-man midfield alongside Georgino Wijnaldum (£5.5m) and Naby Keita (£7.5m).

Joe Gomez (£5.0m) has won his own fitness battle to line up in the Liverpool defence, which is otherwise at full strength. Alisson (£5.5m) makes his league debut for the Reds between the sticks.

Having missed West Ham United’s final pre-season fixtures with a hip injury, Andriy Yarmolenko (£7.0m) only features as a substitute for the Hammers today. Michail Antonio (£7.0m) takes his place on the right flank.

Declan Rice (£4.5m) looks set to feature out of position in the West Ham midfield, while there are competitive Irons debuts for Lukasz Fabianski (£4.5m), Ryan Fredericks (£5.0m), Fabian Balbuena (£4.5m), Jack Wilshere (£5.0m) and Felipe Anderson (£7.0m).

In the other 13:30 BST kick-off, Cedric Soares (£4.5m) has been passed fit to play at wing-back after missing all of Southampton’s pre-season.

Jack Stephens (£4.5m) gets the nod over Jan Bednarek (£4.0m) in central defence, while Manolo Gabbiadini  (£6.0m) is only among the substitutes – along with Danny Ings (£5.5m).

Charlie Austin (£6.0m) is supported by Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong (both £5.5m) in attack.

Matthew Lowton and Stephen Ward (both £5.0m) return at full-back for Burnley after being rested for the Thursday night Europa League fixture in Istanbul, while Chris Wood (£6.5m) is the sole striker in the attack.

Joe Hart (£4.5m) makes his Burnley league debut, with Tom Heaton (£5.0m) watching on from the bench.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita; Firmino, Salah, Mane

West Ham XI (4-3-3): Fabianski; Fredericks, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Masuaku; Noble, Rice, Wilshere; Arnautovic, Antonio, Anderson

Southampton XI (3-4-2-1): McCarthy; Hoedt, Vestergaard, Stephens; Soares, Romeu, Lemina, Bertrand; Armstrong, Redmond; Austin

Burnley XI (4-4-1-1): Hart; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward; Gudmundsson, Westwood, Cork, Lennon; Hendrick; Wood

2,783 Comments Post a Comment
  1. 42towels
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Is there any decent place online to hangout during matches? Somewhere less frantic preferably.

    1. Bubz
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Pornhub

      1. My Name Is Pepu
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Salah vs Watford highlights?

      2. Homo Neanderthalensis
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        That’s definitely more frantic.. for me at least

    2. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Mumsnet perhaps?

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      A Sauna

    4. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      FantasyFootballScout 🙂

    5. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Wait one more season and you can join the 5 years or more lounge, where more sophisticated conversation is had over sherry and a cigar.

  2. OPTA FPL
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    TAA off at HT

    1. Zladan
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Fake news.

  3. ★Kuntheman★
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Mendy bro you better back up the faith I had in you here

    1. Rainer
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Wouldn't mind him getting the day off 😉

      1. FPL Footy Show Pod
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        This.

  4. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    I forgot that there was a Southampton can Burnley match going on 😆

    1. banskt
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Bought Austin over Zaha, so I have tremendous interest in that match.

  5. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Cmon Firmino for crying out loud. No Salah involvement pls

  6. Gooner97
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    FPL servers are crap

    1. yakirh
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      50% of the players want to see their Salah points on the board

      1. Gooner97
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        It's EA fault

    2. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I can see there point of view though, why bother bolstering it when it doesn't matter, not accessing the site right now won't affect your game. Only the period just before deadline is worth sorting out.

      1. Gooner97
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        But it happened right before the deadline Friday...it just melted down

        1. The Enlightener
          • 10 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Yep. Fooked me on my late transfers, costing me 12 pts. And some say, oh it's just part of the game. It's crap is what it is.

        2. Fred54
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          FWIW I wasn't able to swap my 2nd and 3rd subs around on the bench at 6 mins before deadline despite having all summer to do it.

          I was outraged.

          1. The Enlightener
            • 10 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            I clicked on Schurrle to Richarlison about 5 mins before deadline and it just hung up. Couldn't do anything. And it shouldn't matter when you decide to manage your team as long as you are ahead of what is supposed to be the actual deadline.

  7. Zilla
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    4 more Robertson/Mane and Salah linkup would be nice

    1. yakirh
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      4 more?
      I'll take 1 more

  8. ★Kuntheman★
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    The real fun begins when Aguero and Aubameyang have a crazy game with De Bruyne running the show, that’s when the wildcards are gonna be out in force.

  9. The Mandalorian
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Live rank has dropped from 600k to 1.2m despite owning Salah (c) and Robertson.

    1. Bubz
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      That makes no sense

    2. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Lol must be the Salah TCa

    3. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Wtf seriously??

    4. Messiah Hazard
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Many Salah TCers I guess

    5. The Mandalorian
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      fffx

    6. sully29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      How does that work?

    7. banskt
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Where are you checking it?

    8. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Broken

    9. RomeluStormzy
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Where do you find this?

    10. The Mandalorian
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Salah broke FFFX

  10. Richd
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Christ the template is HAULING. this is insane.

    1. diesel001
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Aguero, Auba and Bernardo to blank now....

      1. Richd
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Still over 55 with those 3 and Mendy to play.

  11. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Mo Mo offside all the time, just sneaks in a couple of times behind and scores

  12. Bubz
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Keita looks sick

    1. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Hope he gets well soon...

    2. Ghost Gooner
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Love how he draws players in then passes to the free man without getting tackled. Something Wilshere was useless at

  13. markmcr
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Nearly salah again

  14. TOBY1
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    GRRR Firmino Assist Salah goal denied by Fabianski!

  15. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    OMG.. How did Salah miss that

  16. Rainer
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah big chance missed, Firmino A.

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I repeat; Ugh.

  17. Ginkapo FPL
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Fabianski, just give it up, let that in.

  18. Differential C (Mark)
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Fanianski denies Salah point blank! Firmino woulve been assist!

  19. Bow Locks
    • 15 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Wonder how EA sports view fpl's inability to operate.

    1. Gooner97
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      £££££

    2. Sif
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Too busy teaching children to gamble

  20. Ghost Gooner
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah big chance missed 😡

  21. boc610
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Milner is fitter than both the Brownlee Brothers combined.

  22. Bubz
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah really is setting his bps on fire in this game

  23. Robman
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    just had a thought, isn't it amazing that Salah is classified as a midfielder in FF, when he always playing in the front three. Shouldn't the FF have made him a striker like Arnautovich?

    Not that it matters, but was just a thought that crossed my mind, especially after getting record points last season.

    1. twoplustwo
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Wonder if it’ll change next season

    2. TOBY1
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Yeh - I guess it makes things more interesting though

    3. Ravager
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I genuinely didn't understand why they didn't reclassify him. Is it because he didn't actually play as a '9'? Though he finds himself at CF often

    4. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Firmino playing CF saved us from his reclassification.

    5. In Like Flynn.
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Sun and Sky have him as a striker.

    6. Mic
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      How is this so hard to understand. In a 4 3 3 the wingers are considered midfielders.. arnie and zaha played central up front thats why reclassified

    7. Pep says
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      There was a lot of debate about this when last season closed and we t's still arguable that he should be classed as a forward but at the end of the day, he's a midfielder which makes his price tag more justifiable given the extra goal pt and clean sheet pts he'll accumalator over the season.

      If Arnie and Zaha were left as midfielders, their prices would be more than 7m. I think they made the right decision regarding all 3 players personally.

  24. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    TAA wild cross again

  25. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Salah getting close to forcing my wildcard hand

    1. Pep says
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Surely you were prepared for this when you decided to go without

    2. XabiAlonso
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Stay strong

  26. Piggs Boson
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Going without Flappy may have been a mistake.

    1. HNI
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Who is flappy? Firmino?

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Fabianski

        1. HNI
          • 11 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Ohh yeah figured. Have on bench with Fister first choice. Hope it pays off as had used 0.5mn on Bailly over Shaw :/

      2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
        • 10 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Flappyhandski Fabianski

    2. Stoic
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Fabi

  27. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Fab on save points yet?

  28. In Like Flynn.
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Flapianski being annoyingly efficient.

  29. Viper
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Doesn't it just go to show how phenomenal Salah is that 55% of the game are willing to pay 13.0m even in the knowledge that he'll probably never even gets bps

    1. Pep says
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      At least it safe to say his bps score is unlikely to regress this season

  30. Royal5
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Masuaku is only 24!? Looks like he could be TAA's father.

    1. HNI
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Africans manipulate age as their birth is not documented. Helps them to prolomg career. Best example is Lukaku

      1. Royal5
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Like Greg Oden in NBA