Salah and key defenders start for Liverpool as Mané benched

As expected, Sadio Mané (£11.5m) has been named on the bench for Liverpool’s opening Premier League match of the season.

The Senegalese international missed all of the club’s pre-season friendly campaign and was always a doubt to be involved against Norwich.

Jurgen Klopp did not appear too fazed by not being able to include Mané in the starting XI.

As had been predicted, Divock Origi (£5.5m) starts on the left flank of the forward line in the 4-3-3 system.

“I’m happy with how it is now. It’s not about me it’s about the players. If the player aren’t available or fit they are the things we have to deal with.” – Jurgen Klopp

The Belgian features alongside Roberto Firmino (£9.5m) in a central role while Mohamed Salah (£12.5m), the winner of the Gameweek 1 captain poll, is on the right flank.

There was keen interest in Liverpool’s defence over the summer and all three key individuals find themselves in the starting XI.

Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) are on the left and right flanks of the back-four, with Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) in the middle.

Paired with the Dutchman at centre-back is Joe Gomez (£5.5m), which comes as welcome news to those invested in Alexander-Arnold.

After the Englishman replaced his compatriot around the hour mark in the Community Shield final, with Joel Matip (£5.5m) starting that match at centre-back, there had been some concern over Alexander-Arnold’s role.

However, a home match against newly-promoted opposition was clearly seen as a different prospect to Manchester City at Wembley by Klopp, who clearly favours playing the more attacking full-back in this one.

Norwich line up in the 4-2-3-1 formation that Daniel Farke was so fond of on his way to securing the Championship title last season.

There was only one change to our predicted line-up provided by team news correspondent Neale Rigg.

Todd Cantwell (£4.5m) has been handed a start on the left side of attacking midfield, alongside Marco Stiepermann (£6.0m) and Emi Buendía (£6.0m).

That means Onel Hernandez (£5.5m) taking up a spot on the bench.

As expected, Grant Hanley (£4.0m) starts at centre-back alongside Ben Godfrey (£4.5m) with Timm Klose (£4.5m) and Christoph Zimmermann (£4.5m) injured.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, van Dijk, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Fabinho; Origi, Firmino, Salah.

Substitutes: Adrian, Milner, Keita, Mané, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Matip.

Norwich XI (4-2-3-1): Krul; Lewis, Godfrey, Hanley, Aarons; McLean, Trybull; Cantwell, Stiepermann, Buendía; Pukki.

Substitutes: Fahrmann, Byram, Roberts, Vrancic, Leitner, O Hernandez, Drmic