I think Manuel Pellegrini will be cautious in setting up his team for the Liverpool opener on Sunday. We have only won at Anfield twice in 55 years and they were unbeaten at home last season only conceding ten goals.
Yarmolenko is probably a doubt after suffering a hip problem and although he trained this week he will probably sit this one out my guess, I also personally doubt he will blood 21-year-old Issa Diop in the centre of defence at Anfield.
Against Liverpool, Aaron Cresswell and Ogbonna Ogbonna should almost pick themselves with probably Fabian Balbuena joining them and Ryan Fredericks getting the nod over Pablo Zabaleta.
If he goes for a defensive 4-5-1 formation then I am sure he could well select Mark Noble, Pedro Obiang, Felipe Anderson, Jack Wilshere and Michail Antonio in midfield with Marko Arnautovic up front and Lukasz Fabianski in goal.
My predicted starting XI: Fabianski, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Fredericks, Noble, Obiang, Wilshere, Anderson, Antonio, Arnautovic.
Subs bench: Adrian, Declan Rice, Javier Hernandez, Lucas Perez, Pablo Zabeleta, Issa Diop and Arthur Masuaku
Noble shouldn’t start it sends out the wrong message, forwards target him because he is so slow and is the king of the back pass.
Did you watch any pre-season games?? Noble ran the show….
I can’t see Pellegrino playing Fredricks ahead Zabs…. would like to see Masuaku play left mid and bring Anderson off the bench…. calling Internatioal Rescue …??
Be disappointed if Rice didnt start.
Yes, me too. I think he’s earned it and I reckon he needs plenty of game time to grow into a composed style. I don’t see him as a risk.
Good line-up Sean. I would think of one change – Rice to start instead of Obiang – to stop the breaks through the lines
I think Rice will start also ahead of Obiang, for me Adrian was the better keeper all pre-season, Fabianski looked like he had lead in his boots, very slow feet and not as good a shot stopper despite his stats last season. My 11 would be Adrian, Masuaku, Diop, Balbuena, Fredericks, Antonio, Wilshere, Rice, Noble, Anderson, Arnie up top in a 4 3 3 to mirror theirs.
There is the possibility though that he will throw a curve ball and go with Zaba and Snodgrass down the right because they are better without the ball and being as Liverpool are so short in midfield and defence he may risk two forwards, the more I think about it I genuinely have no clue who he will pick hahaha so good luck Liverpool in guessing and thats a nice challenge !!!
Yes you are right Adrian could start ahead of Fabianski and rice could start ahead of Obiang
Or we might accommodate Obiang and Rice and drop Antonio. So many options