LIVERPOOL — Confirmed starting line-ups for Liverpool and West Ham United for today’s English Premier League opener for both teams at Anfield. Watch Live on NBC Sports | Stream Live on NBCSports.com | Follow Live Blog Updates
As expected, manager Jurgen Klopp has handed goalkeeper Alisson Becker and midfielder Naby Keita their Premier League debuts for Liverpool, following their respective summer transfer window moves.
However, fellow summer recruits Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri will have to wait to make their debuts as the midfield pair start on the bench.
Alisson will hope to cement his place as the club’s No. 1 between the sticks with Loris Karius on the bench, while Keita will join Georginio Wijnaldum and today’s captain James Milner in the middle.
Regular skipper Jordan Henderson starts on the bench.
Meanwhile, goalscoring machine Mohamed Salah will look to pick from where he left off last season he starts in a three-man attack that also includes Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, who will partner Virgil van Dijk in central defence, and Andrew Robertson also start for the Reds.
For West Ham United, new manager Manuel Pellegrini has decided on starting five debutants at Anfield.
Lukasz Fabianski, Jack Wilshere, Felipe Anderson, Ryan Fredericks and Fabian Balbuena all start today for the visitors.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino. Subs: Karius, Clyne, Fabinho, Henderson, Sturridge, Lallana, Shaqiri.
West Ham United: Fabianski, Fredericks, Balbuena, Rice, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Noble, Wilshere, Anderson, Arnautovic, Antonio. Subs: Adrian, Zabaleta, Snodgrass, Obiang, Hernandez, Yarmolenko, Diop
OPTA STATS
Liverpool have won each of their last three league games against West Ham, scoring four goals in each of those victories; they’ve never scored 4+ goals in four consecutive top-flight games against a single opponent.
